HAVANA, April 10 (Reuters) - More than 2,000 Cuban fire- fighters and volunteers, using bulldozers and aircraft, are fighting to stop the spread of a large forest fire in western Cuba, state media reported on Saturday.
The domestic news agency AIN quoted local government officials as saying the fire, which started on Thursday, had affected between 5,000 and 6,000 hectares (12,350 and 14,800 acres) of pine and eucalyptus woods in the Las Delicias region of the municipality of Guane, in Pinar del Rio province.
No fatalities had been reported so far but preparations had been made to evacuate some 800 people from their homes if a change of wind direction put them in danger, AIN said.
Fire-fighting planes had made 14 flights to drop water and chemicals on the flames and bulldozers were also being used to cut fire-breaks through the forest to control the blaze.
Some 2,300 fire-fighters and volunteers were involved in the operation, AIN said. The cause of the blaze was not known and was being investigated.
Cuba's western province of Pinar del Rio has the largest forest reserves on the communist-ruled Caribbean island.
18:16 04-10-99
Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited
[ BACK TO THE NEWS ]