Grass fires cost Light & Power thousands, prompting pole protection

The recent surge in grass fires across the island has caused nearly $70 000 in damage to Barbados Light & Power’s infrastructure, prompting the utility to adopt new protective measures and to renew calls for public caution.

The company’s Senior Engineering Manager For Transmission And Distribution, Victor Callender, revealed that multiple areas have been affected during the current dry season, with utility poles and other infrastructure sustaining significant damage.

“Approximately 13 areas were affected by apparent grass fires. Twenty-one poles have been impacted so far during the 2026 dry season,” Callender told Barbados TODAY. He added that some 180 poles have been affected since last year and estimated that repairs and replacements linked to grass fire damage have cost the company approximately $65 000 so far this year.

The fire mesh created a protective covering, protecting the pole from recent blaze. (Photo Credit: Shamar Blunt/Barbados TODAY)

A series of fires has stretched firefighters’ resources in recent months. On one particularly demanding day, the Barbados Fire Service was simultaneously responding to blazes in Vauxhall, Bannatyne, South Ridge, Sheraton Heights, and Adams Castle in Christ Church, and in Alleynedale, St Peter.

The growing number of grass fires has also raised concerns amid ongoing drought conditions. At a Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) press conference ahead of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, executive director Elizabeth Riley warned that the dry spell in several participating states is expected to persist.

“Drought conditions, which are currently being experienced in a number of our participating states, are expected to continue and potentially expand by late 2026,” Riley said.

In response to the increasing threat posed by fires in bushy and overgrown areas, Light & Power has begun using specialised fire-resistant technology to help protect its utility poles.

The company tested two products before selecting a protective covering known as Fire Mesh, Callender said.

“We tried two products, and this was favoured due to the mesh allowing the wood to ‘breathe’,” he said.

The protective material is installed around wooden poles from approximately one foot below ground level and extends between five and eight feet above the surface, depending on the location. Poles fitted with the mesh have performed well even under fire conditions, the senior engineer said.

One pole in a fire-affected area sustained no damage because the coating fully protected it from the flames, he added.

While the company continues to strengthen its infrastructure, Callender stressed that safety remains Light & Power’s primary concern whenever crews are dispatched to fire-damaged sites.

“Our message to the public will continue to focus on safety,” he said, noting that standard safety protocols are always activated when crews respond to incidents involving damaged infrastructure.

He also appealed to motorists and pedestrians to exercise caution around repair sites, urging them to observe safety cones and follow instructions from uniformed Light & Power personnel to prevent additional emergencies. 

(SB)