Playa del Carmen, Q.R. — Some area residents of Solidaridad have had to suffer through smoky days due to municipal forest fires. Mayor Lili Campos was part of a flyover this week with authorities who were analyzing the situation.
“We flew over the areas affected by fires in Solidaridad. In its control work: CONAFOR and Environment, to safeguard the integrity of our citizens and avoid damages to the environment. Report fires to 911,” she posted on social media.
According to reports, the municipality is battling about 130 hectares in burning brush that are only 35 percent controlled. According to Juan Novelo Zapata, the General Secretary of Ayuntamiento de Solidaridad, the city lacks enough personnel to fight the blazes. He says for this reason, they are requesting support from the federal government.
One of the fires, he explained, is located in the town of Santa Celicia and is very difficult to get to. He said their limited resources has not made dealing with the 20-hectare fire any easier.
Alejandro Contreras Díaz, Director of Firefighters, says that currently, there are five forest fires in the municipality. One in San Carlos, another behind Nuevo Noh Bec, a third behind Sac-Tun, one more in the community of Uxuxubi and another in Santa Cecilia.
He said only three of them are considered under control. “Currently, we are fighting fires near Puerto Aventuras and Xpu Ha (San Carlos). We are working with Conafor. There are approximately 130 hectares affected,” he explained.
He said that the Nuevo Noh Bec fire is considered controlled and in Santa Cecilia, the brush fire has been controlled by residents, but they have requested the intervention of firefighters due to the difficult location of the fire.
