“Massive Forest Fire Ravages Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve”

A significant forest fire has engulfed approximately 450 hectares of the Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve. The blaze has caused severe disruptions, including a power outage in the port of El Cuyo. This fire is one of several major ones currently affecting the Celestún Biosphere and Tekax.

The fire in the Ría Lagartos region began about a week ago and has escalated in the last few hours. The lack of electricity has also resulted in a failure of the drinking water supply system.

Tizimín's mayor, Pedro Couoh Suaste, reported that the disaster has caused extensive damage. Infrastructure such as Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) posts and the drinking water pipeline have been affected. Consequently, the local community is experiencing significant hardship. "The fire reached the edge of the road on Saturday, and the port has been without electricity," he said.

Given the dire situation, local authorities are requesting assistance from the State Government. They need support to provide the population with water using two tanks until the system can be repaired.

The National Forestry Commission (Conafor) has reported that 450 hectares of vegetation in the protected natural area have already been damaged. Conafor staff estimate that 80 percent of the damage has been controlled.

However, other forest fires in the region require attention. One such fire is in the Bala’an K’aax flora and fauna protection area in the municipality of Tekax, south of Yucatán, where 1,400 hectares have been consumed. This fire started on April 21. Another fire in the Ría Celestún Biosphere Reserve in the town of Halachó has affected 1,955 hectares.