Puerto Morelos, Q.R. — Two forest fires continue to burn in the area of Leona Vicario in the municipality of Puerto Morelos, both of which, are being attended to by forestry personnel.
The two fires continue to burn along the Cancun-Mérida highway, one in an area known as El Tabasqueño and the other in El Quelite. Along with firefighters, members of Civil Protection and volunteer ejidatarios have joined the brigade.
“The instruction of mayor Laura Fernández is to continue attending to these fires which are burning close to the population. After being suffocated yesterday morning, in the afternoon, one was reactivated by poachers which caused the partial closures of vehicular circulation after it reached the foot of the road.
“We have been attending to these fire for three days, which due to the extremely dry weather conditions, has changed its path,” explained Guillermo Morales López, coordinador of Protección Civil.
He said that after the flames managed to cross the highway, brigade members carried out fire gap work in approximately 1,500 linear meters. “The affected area is between 10 and 15 hectares of low jungle with 80 percent control and 50 percent clearance. On Friday, we will continue attacking the fire until it is liquidated and cooled,” he added.
The second fire, he says, is being dealt with by the National Forestry Commission (Conafor) and community brigades, which formed a team of 101 people to fight the forest fire in the area known as El Quelite, which according to new estimates, has affected around 450 hectares of jungle.
