The hills all around us in Playa Flamingo Costa Rica have been slowly burning over the past several days.  For two days or so, the smoke was wafting our way and we smelled it in the air.  But as the fires got farther away we could only see the smoke.  Wildfires here in Costa Rica are not like the roaring wildfires of California.  Rather, like the lifestyle in Costa Rica, they appear laid back and slowly the ground-level brush is burning.  The tree trunks seem hardly blackened by the passing fire.  Many plant stalks seem unharmed.

At first, we were alarmed as the sky was filled with smoke.  The fires aren’t fast moving but rather a slow, smoldering burn producing copious amounts of smoke.  I’m not sure how they get started here.  Certainly not lightning as there hasn’t been a drop of rain in Playa Flamingo since we arrived on February 1.  I suspect they start accidentally from burning leaves or cigarette butts carelessly tossed out of car windows.

I was talking with a very patient lady from England in the Maxi Pali store (one of Walmart’s contributions to Costa Rica) in Santa Cruz a few days ago.  I was puzzled why the fires aren’t put out.  She told me that residents are troubled by them but the small towns simply do not have the manpower to fight the numerous fires.  She and her husband live in a typical Tico house in a very rural area.  They regularly have wildfires outside of their house and she said the fire trucks come every single time within 5 minutes.  The fire trucks only have to come out if the fire is near housing or National Parks.

We have tried to explore the area and have made frequent trips from Playa Flamingo to Huacas and Tamarindo.  On the road to Tamarindo we noticed a field burning around the base of a telephone pole.  The next day, the pole had completely burnt off at the base and what was left was hanging from wires above.  We thought surely someone would see it and extinguish the fire before it reached the wires.  The road is patrolled regularly by the local police and all it would have taken is a bottle of water to put it out.  Apparently, no one really cared.  As you can see in the photo on the right, two days later the pole was still smoldering (look closely at the base and you can see the smoke).

On an drive the following day, we passed the pole yet again.  It was continuing it’s slow burn.  Much to our astonishment, all that was left was a small nubbin–the pole had burned all the way up to the wires with only about 2 feet left.  Out of curiosity, Heide and I went cruising again yesterday and there is nothing left but the bracket !!!  The pole is completely gone and nothing but an ash heap on the ground.  The wires appear to be unharmed.  The bracket is ready for a replacement pole.

The lifestyle in Costa Rica is restfully laid back.  Apparently even the loss of a telephone pole does not cause anyone to spring into action.

In their defense, I didn’t stop to put it out either.  I may be becoming an honorary Tico !

Addendum:  And then there was nothing left but the bracket !!!