Governor Miguel Ángel Navarro Quintero announced, after a fire ravaged hundreds of hectares of vegetation on Cerro de San Juan, that restrictions will be imposed on hikers and, in general, on anyone seeking to enter this protected natural area in the capital, where poor air quality persists.
He argued that the measure is due to the fact that “we believe temperatures will be more intense than last year,” since “climate change is increasing the temperature by tenths of a degree year after year.”
He emphasized that these climate changes contribute to wildfires, such as the recent one on Cerro de San Juan, which began in the middle of this month and affected more than a thousand hectares. He also commented that fines will be increased for those who start forest fires, penalties “much needed for those who seek to clear land for productive or other activities.”
Navarro Quintero also announced a salary increase for forest firefighters, promising them “permanent job security” and avoiding short-term contracts, explaining that “when we’re already facing a problem, we’re desperate to hire them.”
The governor visited the State Coordination headquarters of the National Guard on Thursday, where he presented a firefighting strategy developed by the State Fire Management Program.
This week, the fire on Cerro de San Juan, which spans territory in Tepic and the municipality of Xalisco, was brought under complete control. Poor air quality persists in the area due to the burning.
Source: oem
