The alerts from experts were not mistaken: from the beginning of 2026 until February 6, a total of 130.61 hectares of forests have been impacted by fires in the provinces of Pinar del Río, Artemisa, and Matanzas, as well as in the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud.
According to a report from the Fire Management Department of the National Headquarters of the Forest Rangers (CGC) —quoted by the Cuban News Agency—, there have been 17 such disasters reported to date, with Pinar del Río being the hardest hit, suffering seven incidents. This is followed by the municipality of Isla de la Juventud, with six, and Artemisa and Matanzas with three and one, respectively.
In the westernmost province of the country, historically severely affected by these disasters, it has been forecasted that this year there will be between 85 and 112 outbreaks, directly related to drought, the deterioration of forest roads, and especially to the large amount of combustible material in forested areas, Rubén Guerra Corrales, head of Fire Management and Administration at the CGC Directorate, reported to the newspaper Granma .
In 2025—Guerra Corrales specified—there were about a hundred fires in Pinar del Río, causing damage to over 9,000 hectares. The main causes continue to be human negligence, with a perception of risk that is lower than its true magnitude. During 2026, although a significantly lower figure is anticipated, around 4,000 hectares could be affected by fire, the official indicated.
In addition to Pinar del Río, the territories that are most at risk are Matanzas, Villa Clara, Camagüey, Holguín, and the special municipality Isla de la Juventud, according to the danger prediction index mentioned by ACN.
From January to May is historically the most active period on the Island regarding these disasters (96%); however, there is evidence that it can even extend into June, July, and August, due to the expansion of the less rainy period and other meteorological variables, noted First Colonel Manuel Lama, the highest authority of the CGC, according to a report from Prensa Latina. Specifically, the months of March and April tend to have the highest incidence, experts maintain.
In human health, wildfires can cause impacts such as "burns, physical injuries, heat strokes, and in extreme cases, death," warns the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO); it also mentions other minor conditions "ranging from skin irritation to exacerbation of chronic respiratory or cardiac conditions."
Similarly, serious consequences for ecosystems can arise, as the smoke from wildfires releases enormous amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, the international organization indicates.
In Cuba, between 2020 and 2024 alone, the economic losses associated with forest fires reached 527,537,800 pesos, according to official data from the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI).
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