Hello, good morning. A very special greeting to all the members of this community. I am a nature lover, and I have always felt a special connection with nature for its therapeutic function, even more so this year where natural landscape photography has become one of my passions. Today I want to tell you about a natural phenomenon that we have been experiencing the last few months in the area where I live, but I wasn't sure if this was the right place to talk about it. If not, I would appreciate if you would excuse me and let me know.

Approximately since March of this year, there was a fire of great magnitude on the road that links the state of Monagas with my state (Anzoátegui), specifically, in the pine forests known as Bosques de Uverito. We are talking about many kilometers of extensive vegetation that was cultivated in that area for many years, and that in an inexplicable way, began to be consumed by flames, affecting not only the ecosystem present in it, but also the nearest populations, who were forced to leave the place until further notice.

As far as could be seen in the digital news and on TV, the fire could not be put out and lasted more than a month between spreading and the attempt to extinguish it. The flames were manifesting themselves elsewhere, considering the presence of environmental situations such as drought, the heat wave and the strong breezes in this area, which fueled the problem.

The fire was controlled last month, but the presence of smoke not only remained for many days in the environment, but also a kind of very dense fog that became stronger between 6 pm and 6 am. The smell of burning did not let us breathe well, there were, and still are, many people affected with allergies, throat discomfort, cough, and eye irritation. The use of mouth coverings was suggested as in pandemic times, but this smoke penetrated into the houses and affected even to sleep.

In a couple of photos that I extracted from the local press, you can appreciate the presence of this haze in the afternoon hours, almost making it difficult for drivers to see. Nobody reported what was happening, they thought they were local fires but the press inquired and everything was normal. They did not relate it to the forests because the fire had already been under control for some time, until the experts in natural and environmental phenomena affirmed that it was the presence of “calima”, an environmental phenomenon derived from the residues of forest fires accumulated in the environment and that are maintained thanks to a strong drought, like the one we have had this year. It manifests itself with haze or smoke that becomes stronger when the sun goes down.

The first rains began to appear this past week, not so strong but continuous, and thanks to them, the haze began to subside a little. There is still a slight presence of the "calima" that can be seen in the distance from some alleys, but the smell of burning disappeared, and we have returned to breathe without difficulty.

The cover image is courtesy of my friend and trainer Mariam Trias, and shows us a bit of what was left of the forest, after the fire was put out. I know that nature is wise and persevering, and I am certain that with the arrival of winter, some trees may sprout again, and the wonderful vegetation will manifest itself again in these lands.

_{SOURCE OF INFORMATION CONSULTED}

Calima - Wikipedia

_{IMAGE SOURCES}

_{Cover image courtesy of Mariam Trías on Whatsapp
Images of Calima courtesy of local newspapers El Tigrense and Vistazo.
The other images were taken with my mobile device.
The translator used is: Deepl Translator
Dividers courtesy of eve66.}