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State government prepares for upcoming forest fire season

Chetumal, Q.R. — Government authorities have met to review actions to be taken for the state’s upcoming forest fire season.

With more than 13,000 hectares of forest lost to fire last year, State Civil Protection Coordinator Adrián Martínez Ortega, says that federal, state and municipal authorities will join forces to face the next season of forest fires, which is anticipated to be intense.

He explained that the first meeting of Programa Estatal del Manejo del Fuego en Ecosistemas Forestales 2020 was already held in order to establish the procedures to be followed.

“More than 13,000 hectares were consumed in 2019 by forest fires in Quintana Roo affecting the biodiversity of flora and fauna in our state, which is an attraction for national and foreign visitors,” he said.

He made it clear that there is close coordination with the Comisión Nacional Forestal (CONAFOR) to implement the State Fire Management Program in 2020, which is the first step to face the conflagration season.

He anticipated that next month, they will begin training ejidatarios in fire management with the aim of reducing incidents this year. Adrián Martínez also announced that the burning calendar for ejidatarios and the dissemination of preventive campaigns are already being prepared.

“Last year, we had a very tough drought. To this, we have to add that due to the season and the affectation of the cold fronts, the vegetation becomes dehydrated which ignites easily, turning a small fire into a high risk if it is not attended to on time.”

He said several government agencies will be involved in fire control for the state’s upcoming forest fire season including CONAFOR, the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), the Secretaría de Marina and the Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional.