In the seventh year commemorating the National Day of Forest Fire Fighters celebrated on July 11, the National Forestry Commission (CONAFOR,) held an event to honor women and men who are dedicated to this work.
The event recognized both those who are active and in memoriam of those who lost their lives in the performance of their mission in 2021.
The ceremony took place this Saturday at the Central Offices of the agency in Zapopan, Jalisco. Six plaques were placed on the Wall of the Fallen, in honor of those who perished in combat during the critical season of this year:
- Pedro Rueda González, CONAFOR fire fighter in the State of Mexico.
- Rafael Martínez Martínez, private owner of forest land in Michoacán.
- Ezequiel Navarrete González, volunteer from the private and social sector of the state of Jalisco.
- Noé Moreno Juárez, volunteer from the private and social sector of the state of Puebla.
- Mauricio Hernández Piñón, municipal combatant in Michoacán.
- José Armando Mora Mendoza, municipal combatant in Michoacán.
Within the framework of this event, the Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources, María Luisa Albores González, sent a message highlighting the task of the combatants, especially in a year in which the they presented atypical weather conditions that fanned the flames in forests, jungles, and bushes, increasing the risk when carrying out their heroic work. She also honored the memory of the six combatants who gave their lives in the line of duty.
She stressed that a fundamental factor to face the challenges has been the inter-institutional coordination, which has made it possible to adequately address the fires in 2021. The results proved positive, since the affected area was below that reported in 1998, 2011, and 2017, similar years in which the weather phenomenon called “La Niña” bore influence.
Likewise, she recognized the valuable and courageous participation of the people and communities that support by conviction in the fight against fire, as well as public officials from the three levels of government, forestry technical service providers, organizations of foresters or producers, and non-governmental organizations, among others.
The general director of CONAFOR, León Jorge Castaños Martínez, addressed the owners and holders of forest lands, who are the first actors in the fight against fires, giving thanks “to the communities and ejidos that fight for the conservation of their heritage, to the environmental compensation brigades, the rural brigades, and of course the official brigades of municipal, state and institution governments, as well as to all those who participate as volunteers in logistics with food, water and products to support staff; to the operators of the watchtowers, to the radio-operators, to the personnel who are in the dispatch centers, to all those people who provide logistical and planning support from the command posts or fire management centers to facilitate the work of field personnel.”
He also commented on the importance of recognizing the effort provided by the participants in the Fire Management Program, who are a very important pillar within the inter-institutional coordination in fighting forest fires. This program links efforts in the legal and cultural prevention and research that through its application, we understand how to use the analysis and strategies to improve the conditions of the various ecosystems.
After placing the wreath in memory of the fallen, 18 statuettes and recognitions were delivered to brigades and combatants. At the national level, each entity will hold their own commemorative events, and a total of 96 statuettes will be delivered.
In Mexico, more than 20,000 people are trained and qualified as fighters against forest fires. The personnel are organized into brigades belonging to institutions of the three levels of government and members of civil society.
Of the 3,772 CONAFOR combatants who operate with resources disbursed by this agency, there are:
1,729 official combatants of CONAFOR.
858 combatants from Rural Brigades with CONAFOR state and municipal government agreements.
1,185 combatants from Forest Fire Protection Brigades with CONAFOR state and municipal government agreements.