As a result of the ongoing fire at the Bovoni Landfill, US Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan has proclaimed a state of emergency throughout the territory.
Smoke from the fire, which erupted on September 14, has impacted communities throughout the US Virgin Islands.
Due to the terrible air quality, schools and businesses were forced to close.
According to a statement from Government House, “the fire is not sustainably contained, and external assistance is required to extinguish the flames beneath the surface of the Bovoni Landfill’s green waste area.” Immediate action is required to get the necessary support to extinguish the fire, including the coordination of firefighting aid via the Emergency Management aid Compact.
“The Executive Order issued by Governor Bryan designates Fire and Emergency Medical Services Executive Director Daryl George as the incident commander to direct the territorial response and execute the directives for order enforcement, and designates the Virgin Islands Fire and Emergency Medical Services as the lead agency to coordinate emergency response activities in collaboration with the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA).” The Incident Commander and VITEMA Director shall assist the Governor’s Office on the implementation of emergency response actions.”
Firefighters and volunteers are still working to put out the fire.
Residents have been warned to limit their outside exposure and to keep their windows closed.
