Ministry reaffirms strict open fire ban during dry season |29 July 2026

Ministry reaffirms strict open fire ban during dry season

By Sunny Esparon

The Ministry of Environment, Climate, Energy & Natural Resources has reaffirmed that the regulation on open fires remains strictly enforced during the dry season.

Director of the Forestry Division, John Quilindo, gave an update to the press, noting that Seychelles experiences two main seasons – the northwest monsoon and the southeast trade winds – which coincide with the rainy and dry seasons respectively. “Traditionally, on an annual basis, the ministry imposes a ban on starting fires as soon as the dry season begins,” he explained. “We do this in consultation with the meteorological office, which guides us accordingly. Once the decision is taken, we issue the ban. People have accepted this for many years and have respected it.”

Mr Quilindo however stressed that not everyone complies with the law. He confirmed that the ban remains in effect throughout the dry season and warned that offenders will face penalties. “So far, there have been approximately three to four cases where individuals have started fires without proper authorisation, and they will be fined accordingly,” he said.

He issued a clear reminder: “Do not start fires while the ban is in effect. We are monitoring the situation, and anyone caught breaking the law will face consequences.”