And that rain is why some a breathing a little easier - in more ways than one - out west tonight. Here's the full story on the fire, the smoke and the valiant effort to fight the flames with a crop duster:
Jules Vasquez reporting
Responding to the wildfires in the Cayo District is a mission of indeterminate destination. This is the Hydro Road coming out of Benque Viejo.
This drone shot shows smoke fanning out in all directions across the Vaca forest Reserve where the fires have been most aggressive and persistent - three large fires and a smaller one behind Benque Viejo.
The thick wildfire's blankets of smoke are trapped in the valleys. And when it goes up, it creates a hazy screen of smoke above western Cayo.
And while from above it can look even picturesque in the day. And like a morbid sci-fi fantasy at night. On the ground it's a hot and hellish scramble. Fire slices through the forest like a fast moving snake. Thick gusts of smoke can be suffocating for the improvised fire fighters.
Those winds feed the fire deep in the Vaca. North of there in Benque Viejo where smaller fires are on the border of the town, more than a hundred volunteers, regular townspeople have thrown COVID cautions to the wind, they have a bigger crisis to face.
Those townspeople took instruction and strategy from seasoned and equipped Yax'che forest fire fighters. And this morning over Belmopan, deliverance from above. A crop duster outfitted as what is being called an "air tanker" water bombing Belmopan 500 gallons at a time.
35 flights over the capital suppressed the smoke and put out slow burning fires, leaving the capital looking like this by the afternoon.
The next mission for two Airmax planes was Vaca this afternoon and Benque Viejo and San Ignacio, starting around 3:30.
The idea is to put out those persistent fires that are smothering those western towns.
Additionally, a team of wildland firefighters will be patrolling the areas in Belmopan in coordination with the City Council. The Minister of environment is asking the public to call and report anyone seen lighting fires in the area of Maya Mopan, Salvapan, San Martin, Las Flores and Cotton Tree, where much of the smoke that was affecting Belmopan originated.
PACT, the Protected Areas Conservation Trust is the agency that enlisted Airmax Limited to drop the water. The Ministry of environment said there were two of what it calls "air tanker" planes - what we know as crop dusters.
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