MUCH of the debate on climate change centres on two factors, namely halting it and adjusting to it, with concerns being expressed particularly for the Third World countries that will probably be most affected. Whether or not one accepts or denies the reality of the threat, it is always prudent to at least make some plans to deal with any negative effects that may arise.

We have come nearly to the end of the annual hurricane season in the Caribbean and even before its commencement in June the Government, through its Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM), launched its annual media programme. It is perhaps significant that the ODPM is geared not only to advise citizens to prepare for disasters but also to manage the after-effects of any disaster, whether hurricane, storm, earthquake or comparable phenomenon.

We are indeed an extremely fortunate country for although we are in a seismically active area we have suffered mostly mild earthquakes. We are also on the edge of the hurricane belt and have suffered only slightly in the last century. Curiously with all the claims made by climatologists of increases in numbers and strength of hurricanes the last two seasons have been comparatively mild. But what about fire disasters? And we do not mean buildings.

Many will have noted the relatively wet dry seasons of the past few years. Certainly also, many will have noted the relatively dry wet season of 2009.

The long term averages of rainfall for the country display a wet season from June to December often with a brief respite or petit careme between two peaks in August and November. This November’s rainfall has been unusually dry and well below the long term average for the month and already we are seeing people watering their gardens and unseasonal flowering of trees.

The last time that the country experienced this sort of anomaly was in 1987 when there were uncontrolled bushfires throughout the land. Many will remember the voice of the late BWIA pilot Capt Bobby Thomas describing flying into Piarco in daylight with the visibility reduced to less than one kilometre. Many thousands of hectares of vegetation were lost.

Where vegetation is lost run-off of rainfall increases and there is widespread flooding. It therefore makes sense to have a detailed plan to counter not only the cause of the problem-human behaviour-but to manage fires so as to minimise the losses.

The last moderately serious fire season was the year 2003. Since then we have been spared. But now, November 2009 is giving us a warning. Start recruiting the personnel and equipment and above all clear those firebreaks that protect our forests, especially in the hills.