Bolivia’s Minister of Environment and Water, Álvaro Ruiz, has announced that military units will be deployed to prevent slash-and-burn activities from escalating into forest fires.
According to Correo Del Sur, the operation is part of an inter-agency prevention strategy initiated in response to last year’s destruction of 12.6 million hectares of land.
Ruiz said the Ministry of Defense will manage the deployment of the Armed Forces, while his ministry will coordinate with regional and local authorities.
The plan aims to improve control over land-clearing practices and enhance cooperation with Indigenous autonomous governments, municipalities and departmental administrations.
Ruiz said: “This can’t happen again this year, and that’s why we’ve initiated our fire prevention process, and the success lies in coordination with departmental and municipal governments, Indigenous autonomous communities, and the regional government. This is the path we must take because we must join forces.”
The Ministry of Environment and Water stated that military personnel will be stationed in areas identified as high risk by the Forest and Land Oversight and Social Control Authority (ABT).
The ABT’s assessments will guide the deployment of troops to monitor slash-and-burn activity, a common agricultural practice that can cause uncontrolled fires during dry periods.
Ruiz explained: “Where military units must be deployed to prevent a slash-and-burn forest clearing from turning into a fire. So, we have been coordinating all of that work.”
The approach intends to act before fires start, avoiding a repeat of 2024 when 58 percent of burned land was forest and 42 percent was grassland.
The Environment Ministry confirmed that all interventions will align with national legislation governing forest use and land clearing.
Coordination meetings have taken place since May with local governments, Indigenous communities and production sectors.
The government is also working with international partners to secure climate finance for long-term environmental programs.
On 18 June, the Ministry hosted a meeting with ambassadors and representatives from international organizations to discuss funding opportunities and report on policy progress.
Ruiz emphasized that fire prevention and environmental protection efforts are part of a broader development and economic strategy.
He said: “Some say we need to expand the agricultural frontier, but we can’t just talk about that territorially; we can also be more efficient and more productive, without needing to expand our territory. That work is essential, and it will be the key element for protecting our environment, improving production, and also bringing in money.”
In 2024, Bolivia experienced widespread fire damage totaling 12.6 million hectares.
Government data shows that more than half of that area was forested, with the remainder consisting of grassland.
The Ministry said that this year’s efforts began earlier than in previous cycles and are designed to reduce ignition risk in areas prone to slash-and-burn activity.
The government described the 2024 fires as avoidable and preventable, provided that coordination and enforcement are in place.
Ruiz said: “The issue of fires is a challenge, not only for our country or the departments or municipalities that have been affected, but also for citizens around the world because it greatly affects our environment.”
Access to climate finance is a key component of the government’s broader strategy to manage and reduce environmental risk.
The Ministry of Environment and Water said it is seeking international support to fund new protection projects and programs.
It noted that meetings with foreign diplomats are part of efforts to build transparent and effective cooperation frameworks.
The Ministry added that aligning agricultural development with environmental protection is essential to long-term sustainability.
Ruiz said that productivity and conservation can co-exist through more efficient use of existing land.
The government reiterated its intention to avoid territorial expansion for agricultural gain unless it aligns with environmental safeguards.
Bolivia’s Ministry of Environment and Water has announced military deployment to prevent forest fires in 2025.
Minister Álvaro Ruiz said the plan aims to avoid a repeat of the 2024 season, which burned 12.6 million hectares.
The Armed Forces will be stationed at sites identified by the Forest and Land Oversight and Social Control Authority.
The Ministry of Defense will manage military operations.
The Environment Ministry will coordinate with regional governments and production sectors.
Ruiz said fire prevention success depends on inter-agency coordination.
Meetings with stakeholders began in May.
The government is seeking international climate finance to support long-term protection programs.
A major meeting with diplomats took place on 18 June.
The strategy emphasizes controlled land use and increased productivity without territorial expansion.
