A total of 600 fires have been registered in Yucatan in March and April: Procivy

Since the fire season began in March, more than 600 fires have been registered in Yucatan to date, approximately 15 per day, reported Enrique Alcocer Basto, head of the State Civil Protection Coordination (Procivy).

According to the official, the main areas affected are the east of the entity, in the belt that includes Valladolid, Santa Elena, passing through Ticul.

The main reasons could be the remains of brush left in its wake by Hurricane Grace last year, as well as the burning of garbage in the open air, and high temperatures, among other causes.

“Firefighters from the Ministry of Public Security and state and municipal Civil Protection brigades are putting out about 15 fires a day,” he said.

It ranges from small fires on the sides of roads, and roadside mounds to larger ones. Until April 20, more than 600 have been recorded in the state.

In the case of Mérida, last Sunday authorities attended a case in the surroundings of the CRIT, on the outskirts of the city, and two days earlier, there was another in this same area; in a former dump. “It’s due to the lack of rain, the high temperatures, and the burning of garbage,” he said.

The calendar of agricultural burnings in Valladolid and its surroundings has concluded. This is known as the traditional milpa. While the burning season has begun in the south of the state, in the citrus zone, as well in the cattle and henequen areas, with dates from April 20 to 31 of May. These burnings take place in the municipalities of Motul, Telchac, and Mérida.

So far, there have been no damages to any protected natural area. “Due to the rain, the brush turns green, then it dries up the first months of the year and it starts burning from March to May”; he indicated.

He recommended not burning garbage, especially on these dates, he asked the population that if they cook with a stove, with firewood and charcoal, take their precautions.

Agricultural producers must do their burning very early in the morning, have water handy, and clean the entire perimeter of the area that is going to burn so that the fire does not spread to other properties.

In 2020, 931 fires were recorded in the season, of which 176 were in March, 359 in April, and 396 in May. In 2021 the state of Yucatan registered a total of 418 fires.

The Yucatan Times
Newsroom

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