Puerto Morelos, Q.R. — Despite recent rains, authorities in Puerto Morelos continue to monitor the risk of forest fires in the municipality.
Although the recent rains have facilitated in the control of fires, ongoing intense rains are needed to fully put them out. These much-needed intense rains have not fallen in the areas where there is the greatest risk, said Guillermo Morales López, Municipal Coordinator of Civil Protection.
He also says the state has not yet reached its peak hot season.
“We have not yet arrived at the most intense heat period of the year, which is the dog days, which will officially last from July 15 to August 20, a period in which drought favors forest fires,” he noted referring to canícula.
While the National Forestry Commission (Conafor) is technically in charge of dealing with forest fires, he said the department in his charge has responded to fires in both Leona Vicario and in urban Puerto Morelos, always with the invaluable support of the Fire Department.
On June 7, Puerto Morelos firemen spent the day battling a highway fire. That fire burned more than a hectare of shoulder brush, causing a great deal of smoke and slowed traffic in the area.
Civil Protection is a contributor and is primarily responsible for people’s safety, he noted. So far in Puerto Morelos, they have attended to five forest fires (fires greater than one hectare). Those fires include Cauich, Compañía Federal de Electricidad, Hueso Blanco and Las Torres, he added.
In the area of Leona Vicario they attended to another four, identified as El Quelite, Zona de Pozos de Francisco May, Fraccionamiento Bambú and Sacacosechas, in addition to 13 smaller events since June 7.
To combat these fires, there has been a brigade of nine elements. The Leona Vicario ejido has added five and the Puerto Morelos ejido four. That, in addition to 10 firefighters from the delegation and eight from the municipal seat who were joined by five Civil Protection workers.
León Salas Licea, head of the Puerto Morelos Fire Department, said that for weeks they have been fighting a fire behind the Selva Escondida subdivision. Just when they thought it was out, it reignited again several days later.
