Fire on Isabela Island is not Affecting Endemic Species, Sources Say
Thursday, March 26, 2009 - According to Galapagos National Park personnel on site, the fire that broke out on Isabela Island last Saturday has consumed roughly 70 hectares. The fire is centered in the agricultural zone in the Cerro Verde area of Santo Tomás, in the highlands above Puerto Villamil, southeastern Isabela.
At the moment, the Galapagos National Park Service, in coordination with the Ministries of Government, Environment, and Defense, is bringing in additional heavy machinery to extinguish the fire.
According to sources, the fire does not represent any danger for Galapagos species. The Cazuela area, some seven kilometers distant, is the nearest site to the conflagration with a population of giant tortoises, but is not currently considered at risk because prevailing winds are blowing in the opposite direction.
Source: The Galapagos Conservancy