Train Local Brigades to Fight Forest Fires in MX

Here at the Sierra Gorda Alliance, we are committed to protecting the Earth every day. We have been busy training fire brigades to combat forest fires, which are worsened by climate change and illegal logging, but we still need your help to fund our action plans and prepare for next year.

Since the catastrophic fire this past May, which was finally controlled by the coordination between different government agencies and strong support from local volunteers and civil society, we gave ourselves the task of creating a solid action plan for the next season in 2020. Climate change, increasingly erratic rain patterns, and more aggressive fires, are all some of the biggest threats to the integrity and permanence of local ecosystems, their biodiversity, and the well being of the communities in the Sierra Gorda. Clearly fires are becoming a major element of global destruction and is an after effect of climate change, as is clear from the catastrophic fires this year in Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, Mexico, Russia, Greenland, Sweden, Portugal, Spain (notably the Canary Islands), Greece, Congo, Angola and Indonesia among others. 

It's because of all this that we have given ourselves the task of establishing strategic guidelines that will allow for better defenses and control of forest fires. In order to properly diagnosis the problem and to create a plan of action for the following year, we will be collaborating with the National Forestry Commission of Mexico (CONAFOR), the National Commission on Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), and the municipalities of the region, on which the Civil Protection Offices of the counties depend. 

Personnel from our brigade as well as Ejidatarios (communal landowners) and members of their own fire departments, attended the Basic Course for Forest Combatants (CBCF) given by CONAFOR and CONANP personnel in the city of Jalpan de Serra. The more people that are trained, equipped and ready to fight these disasters effectively, the less damage and environmental cost they will have.

 Below is a more detailed action plan. As always, we appreciate your help and helping us protect this land:

 (Desplázase hacia abajo para ver el texto en español)

Dear Friends,

Welcome to our project to improve forest fire prevention and control in the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve!

This project was prompted by a recent, devastating fire in the Sierra Gorda. Raging for three weeks, it affected over 3,250 hectares, home to endangered species such as jaguars, orchids, salamanders, margays, and ocelots. By destroying vegetation, the fire caused over 106,000 tons of CO2e to be released into the atmosphere.

Roberto Pedraza Ruiz writes, “The White-Fronted Parrot is one of the many endangered species affected by this big forest fire, especially considering that they were in the middle of their nesting season and had to leave their nests and chicks behind. They shared those forests with many other endangered species, from jaguar to margays, and the impact on biodiversity is difficult to measure.”

The fire was probably provoked. It quickly got out of control and began to expand rapidly due to strong winds, high temperature, and dry forest conditions following a severe drought.

Many of the fire’s fronts were in remote and difficult to access areas. Federal funding cuts to the National Forestry Commission significantly limited federal firefighting resources. So although official firefighters, organized fire brigades, and volunteers all came together to combat the fire, it was only two weeks in that enough manpower was mobilized, including 7 helicopters, to finally control the blaze.

We are responding to this emergency to make sure that it does not repeat itself. We want to hire, equip, and organize local fire brigades to continually patrol the reserve, maintaining fire breaks and immediately responding to outbreaks. We cannot afford another such tragedy to hit the Sierra Gorda. Are you with us?

Estimados amigos,

¡Bienvenidos a nuestro proyecto para fortalecer a la prevención y combate a los incendios forestales en la Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra Gorda!

Este proyecto fue motivado por un reciente y devastador incendio en la Sierra Gorda. Durante tres semanas, afectó a más de 3.250 hectáreas, hogar de especies en peligro de extinción como jaguares, orquídeas, salamandras, márgenes y ocelotes. Al destruir la vegetación, el fuego provocó la liberación de más de 106,000 toneladas de CO2e a la atmósfera.

Roberto Pedraza Ruiz escribe: “El Loro Corona Blanca (Pionus senilis) es una de las muchas especies que fueron afectadas por el incendio, máxime ahora que se encuentran nidos activos y tuvieron que dejar ahí a sus pollos. Compartían esos bosques con ocelotes, margays, ajoles, salamandras, e incluso jaguares. El costo ambiental del incendio será difícil de evaluar y ponderar. El carbono emitido, ejemplares calcinados, las áreas donde la regeneración tomará años y las cadenas tróficas rotas es algo que no tiene fácil reparación. El tiempo dirá."

El incendio probablemente fue provocado. Se salió de control y comenzó a expandirse rápidamente debido a los fuertes vientos, las altas temperaturas y las condiciones del bosque seco después de una grave sequía.

Muchos de los frentes del incendio se encontraban en áreas remotas y de difícil acceso. Los recortes de fondos federales a la Comisión Nacional Forestal limitaron significativamente los recursos federales para combatir incendios. Por lo tanto, aunque bomberos oficiales, brigadas de bomberos organizados y voluntarios se juntaron para combatir el incendio, pasaron dos semanas para que se movilizara suficiente mano de obra, incluyendo a 7 helicópteros, para poder controlarlo.

Estamos respondiendo a esta emergencia para asegurarnos de que no se repita. Queremos contratar, equipar y organizar brigadas locales para patrullar continuamente la reserva, mantener las brechas de cortafuegos y responder de inmediato a los siniestros. No podemos permitir otra tragedia semejante en la Sierra Gorda. ¿Estás con nosotros?