Barbados is facing a growing crisis of rampant grass fires during its annual dry season, with the island’s main electricity provider, Barbados Light & Power, already sustaining nearly $70,000 in infrastructure damage from the blazes. In response, the company has rolled out innovative fire-protection technology and has stepped up repeated appeals for the public to exercise heightened caution across fire-prone areas.
Victor Callender, Senior Engineering Manager for Transmission and Distribution at Barbados Light & Power, shared detailed figures with local outlet Barbados TODAY outlining the scope of the damage. So far in the 2026 dry season, grass fires have impacted 13 separate districts across the island, leaving 21 utility poles damaged or destroyed. Cumulative damage dating back to last year pushes the total number of affected poles to 180, with repair and replacement costs already hitting $65,000 in 2026 alone.
The rising frequency of grass fires has placed unprecedented strain on Barbados’ emergency response resources. In just one high-demand incident earlier this year, the Barbados Fire Service was forced to respond to six simultaneous blazes across multiple parishes: blazes broke out in Vauxhall, Bannatyne, South Ridge, Sheraton Heights, and Adams Castle in Christ Church, alongside a separate fire in Alleynedale, St. Peter, stretching firefighting personnel and equipment thin.
The growing fire risk is deeply tied to ongoing drought conditions across the Caribbean that are projected to worsen before they ease. At a recent press conference held by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) ahead of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, executive director Elizabeth Riley issued a formal warning that dry conditions across multiple member states would persist and potentially expand by the end of 2026. This extended dry spell leaves vegetation extremely flammable, creating ideal conditions for fast-spreading grass fires that are hard to contain.
To mitigate the ongoing damage to critical power infrastructure, Barbados Light & Power has implemented a new protective solution for its wooden utility poles after rigorous testing of multiple products. The company ultimately selected a specialized fire-resistant covering called Fire Mesh, which outperformed alternative options because its porous design allows wooden poles to maintain air circulation, preventing rot and structural degradation over time. The mesh is installed from roughly one foot below the ground line, extending 5 to 8 feet above the surface, with the exact height adjusted to match local fire risk conditions.
Early field testing of the new protective covering has already yielded promising results. Callender confirmed that at least one pole fitted with Fire Mesh emerged completely undamaged from a recent grass fire, with the barrier successfully blocking heat and flames from reaching the wood.
Beyond infrastructure upgrades, Callender emphasized that public and worker safety remains the utility’s top priority when crews are dispatched to assess and repair fire-damaged sites. Standard, rigorous safety protocols are immediately activated any time crews respond to an incident involving damaged power infrastructure, to protect both workers and community members. Callender also issued a direct appeal to the public: motorists and pedestrians passing through repair areas must stay alert, obey posted safety markers including traffic cones, and follow all instructions from uniformed Light & Power personnel to avoid avoidable accidents and additional emergencies.