Firefighters stretched as six bushfires rage islandwide

Six grass fires across Barbados kept the Barbados Fire Service extremely busy on Thursday, as they moved swiftly to contain outbreaks stretching from Alleynedale in the north to Adams Castle in the south.

Smoke was visible from as far as Bridgetown in the early afternoon, as a major fire spread rapidly westward towards Vauxhall, coming dangerously close to homes, schools and businesses in Sargeants Village.

Large sections of land from Vallery to the Globe Drive-In were either engulfed in flames or left charred. Motorists were seen diverting onto Kendal Hill to avoid the intense heat and thick smoke.

One fire tender was observed racing toward the drive-in area as firefighters worked urgently to contain the blaze before it pushed further into more populated communities.

Leading Fire Officer Natasha Forde told Barbados TODAY that crews had been on the move since around 9 a.m., responding to multiple fires reported across the island. “We have fires going on in Vauxhall, two fires were alight. We have fires in Bannatyne, Alleynedale, South Ridge, Sheraton Heights, as well as Adams Castle.”

The scale of the blazes had stretched resources across the entire fire service, she said. 

“The majority of our resources are utilised, we have fire officers out, we have station officers out, we also have divisional officers also, we have a number of personnel out in different teams. Because they’re all our units, it means all of the stations are out, so we have Bridgetown, we have Arch Hall, Worthing, the Port,” she explained. “When one fire has been extinguished, then you’re getting diverted to something else, or you’re getting called that different areas are having fires.”

Forde confirmed that all of the incidents were grass fires, but noted that residential and business areas had been placed at risk.

“I can’t say at this point in time how many houses have been affected, but I can say to you one of the things is that because of smoke within the environment, certain schools have been closed down. We have calls coming from the Barbados Community College, as well as the [Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology].”

With heavy smoke blanketing several districts, Forde urged residents to evacuate where it can be done safely.

“Persons living in these areas or who are traversing these areas, businesses and such, if you can evacuate, the smoke is impacting you and you can evacuate and do it safely, then do that. We’re not asking persons, especially those individuals with respiratory ailments, to remain within the environment. It’s not healthy. At the same time, if you’re going to evacuate, make sure that you can breathe safely.”

She also cautioned motorists against driving through smoke-affected areas, warning that visibility was severely reduced.

“Do not try to traverse through that smoke. You do not know what you are going to buck up on, it could be another vehicle that is stalled in the road. It could be one of our appliances carrying out firefighting operations, and you do not see that. Where the visibility is limited, we’re asking persons find alternative routes or remain where you are, but do not try to go through that smoke.”