Juchitan, Oax. – A forest fire, detected since last Friday afternoon, is consuming hundreds of species of pine, ocote, oak, and fruit trees in the Sowing Life programsuch as soursop and peach, in the eastern zone of St. Michael’s Chimalapain the vicinity of the community of San Antonio.
The community members explained that so far there are more than 150 people, including brigade members and volunteers, who are trying to control and put out the fire that has spread to eight points, although in the places known as El Mirador, Plan del Zorro and La Cobija it is complicating the combat due to the currents of the north and south winds.
We are concerned – the San Antonio peasants said – that the fire will advance towards the place known as La Grúa, because in that area we extract resin and we have the environmental services program.
Community members from the town of Benito Juárez and ejidatarios from Chiapas from Díaz Ordaz also participate in the fight against this new fire that is taking place in the eastern zone.
The peasant families asked for the immediate dispatch of mouth covers or masks for women and minors, because the dense smoke spreads to all the communities in the eastern area of San Miguel Chimalapa. There is strong smoke in Benito Juárez, Díaz Ordaz, San Antonio, Rodulfo Figueroa, Flor de Chiapas, El Quebrachal and Ramón E Balboa.
The communal authorities of San Miguel Chimalapa, headed by Vicente Contreras Pérez, indicated that there are four forest fires this year, in that eastern area, although the one currently registered in San Antonio is the largest. We don’t know how many hectares, but the fire is destroying cornfields, pines, oaks and fruit trees, as well as pastures.
They asked for the support of the municipal authorities of San Miguel Chimalapa and the state government to send canned food, because small sundries are running out. The brigade members and volunteers need water and food, they indicated. The fire is very big.
