Ascension Fires

Satellite map of the burning season in eastern Bolivia at the time

 After Yotau, we came to a  region where the road was clouded with smoke.

Pretty soon we came upon a large tract of land which was being burned off.

Panorama of the land on fire

Second panorama of the land on fire

One of the many new ranch style houses being built on the blocks being burned off

A little further along, we came to another blaze completely unattended in a stand of native palm trees.

Cattle and herons at a water hole by the road

Just at sunset we came to a large rain forest hardwood logging depot with trchloads of native logs waiting to be carted away, each with their own specifications.

Panoramas of the logging depot

Chris crossed before the trees of Eden

Google maps image of the Ascension area shows extensive clearing e.g. into soya fields top-left,

but unlike other areas on our route there is still extensive cover with forest.

We arrived in Ascension at sunset. The town had recently been engulfed with wild fires and a whole section of the town had been burned out. People were sheltering in military tents sent by the civil emergency authorities and making an early start on rebuilding their shanty houses.

Kids standing before the central cross in the town square at Ascension

Panorama of the Ascension town gardens

Central Ascension

Ascension's dusty streets

A giant spider

The hostal we stayed at was a veritable menagerie with monkeys, one tied on a rope, a tiny marmoset with a screeching ultra-sonic call, parrots, and pigs running in the courtyard.

The marmoset eats on the ground and shrieks in the tree

Sounds of the marmoset's almost ultra-sonic call in mp3.

Panorama of the hotel courtyard

Panoramas of the areas of Ascension destroyed by wildfires

Images of the cathedral in Ascension

Ascension had an unusual modern cathedral.

Panorama of the cathedral and square

Images of the cathedral in Ascension

Many of the people made homeless were being housed in a civil emergency camp on the outskirts of town.

Panorama of the civil emergency camp