St. Catherine leads Jamaica in fires as heat, wind and dry spell fuel surge

The St. Catherine Fire Department is warning residents of a sharp rise in bush and house fires as high temperatures continue across Jamaica. The parish has logged more fires than any other since the start of the year, officials say.

While there is no clear evidence that St. Catherine is hotter than elsewhere on the island, the department links the jump in incidents to the heat. Councillors at the St. Catherine Municipal Corporation have also been grappling with intense heat and humidity in recent months, turning to portable fans where ceiling units fall short.

DSP Patrick Callum, head of the St. Catherine Fire Department, urged the public to take greater care, especially when setting rubbish or other outdoor fires. He said the Met Office had advised that a trough moving in from the Caribbean would bring stronger winds than usual, adding to the risk already posed by heat and a dry spell in the parish.

Callum said Kingston and St. Andrew historically accounted for most bush fires and related call-outs, but St. Catherine has overtaken them for bush fires, structural fires and motor vehicle accidents alike.

Figures underline the trend. The parish recorded 300 fires in May and more than 530 in June, including 139 bush fires. Over the same period, the department logged 98 medical emergencies requiring an ambulance, 15 motor vehicle accidents and 30 special-service responses, such as oil spills.

The fire department says it is ready to partner with the municipal corporation on public education seminars aimed at cutting the number of fires in St. Catherine.