Photo courtesy of Jamaica Observer

We flew in last night from Florida and I immediately noticed a haze over the island. At first, It thought maybe it was the changing season. Then, I noticed that the sun was a red disc in the sky, obscured by this haze. This is normal in North America, to see the sun like this, but I’ve never seen it so in Jamaica. It was beautiful, but eerie. I could see people stopping on the street to stare at it. There was even a debate amongst the people in the car in which I was riding as to whether or not it was the moon or the sun.

Well, this morning, the cause is clear and it is not the season changing. The Riverton dump is burning again. There are apparently five acres burning, with 70 firefighters on scene. It is spreading quickly, however, because of strong winds. Nearby schools are closed and a haze rests all over Kingston. My eyes are burning and my lungs feel thick. The Ministry of Health has advised people with respiratory difficulties to “take precautions”, like wearing a damp rag over your mouth. They also advise that the elderly, children and pregnant women should take precautions. What does that mean? What are the risks? Again, more questions than answers.