JACRA urges fire safety as Blue Mountain blaze leaves coffee farmers facing major losses

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) is urging farmers and members of the agricultural community to exercise extreme caution when handling fires and disposing of household waste, as dry conditions continue to affect several areas across Jamaica. The warning follows a devastating fire in the Westphalia area of the Blue Mountains, one of Jamaica’s most important coffee-producing regions, which caused extensive damage to farms, crops, and properties. Residents reported that a fire, believed to have started in the early hours of Wednesday, August 26, escaped control and spread rapidly through the area.

Several coffee farmers reportedly suffered extensive losses, with some losing entire sections of their farms, while others also sustained damage to their homes. Following the incident, JACRA led a delegation to the affected community to assess the damage and engage with farmers impacted by the fire. The authority noted that the impact on coffee farmers is especially severe because of the time required for coffee plants to mature.

Coffee trees typically take about three to four years before reaching production, meaning the loss of mature plants represents a major setback to farmers’ livelihoods and future earnings. Many farmers also depend on intercropping to supplement their income between coffee harvests. However, the fire destroyed several of these additional crops, increasing the financial hardship faced by affected farmers.

Among those affected is 68-year-old coffee farmer Basil Willis, who has spent more than 50 years in agriculture. Willis, who owns approximately 2.5 acres of coffee farmland in the area, lost his entire farm in the blaze and narrowly avoided losing his home. Recalling the incident, Willis said he became aware of the fire after seeing smoke rising from the area.

“I saw smoke at a distance, around 5 o’clock in the morning. I went to check on one of my neighbouring farms and saw the helicopter and the smoke coming up. By the time I got back home, the farm was already destroyed, and the fire had almost reached my house.

The farmers had to come together and help to save it,” he told JACRA. Coffee farmers Basil and Miriam Willis stand among the burnt remains of vegetation in Westphalia, St. Andrew, following the devastating fire.