Estefania Mercado Surveys Forest Fires in Puerto Aventuras From the Air; 400 Hectares Affected

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Mayor Estefania Mercado conducted an aerial survey over Puerto Aventuras on Aug. 11 to inspect forest fires that have burned approximately 400 hectares of jungle in the area.

Accompanied by Municipal Public Security Secretary Carlos Montesinos, Civil Protection and Firefighters Secretary Darwin Covarrubias, and representatives of the National Forestry Commission (Conafor), Mercado reviewed the affected zones from the air to assess the scale of the damage and strengthen coordination with ground crews working to contain the flames.

According to officials, the firefighting effort includes 30 Conafor personnel, 15 civil protection workers, and six volunteers, with additional support from other agencies. Mercado praised the work of firefighters, civil protection teams, Conafor, and personnel from the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena) who remain deployed in the area.

“We are working in coordination with Governor Mara Lezama and the Government of Mexico, led by our President Claudia Sheinbaum, to address and combat this situation,” Mercado said.

Officials Call for Prevention of New Fires

Mercado urged residents to take extra precautions and avoid any activity that could spark a fire in vegetation. She noted that a large share of forest fires are linked to human activity and called on the public to refrain from burning or other practices that could trigger new blazes. She also asked residents to promptly report any column of smoke or fire so emergency responders can intervene quickly.

The Playa del Carmen government said it will maintain surveillance and coordinated efforts with state and federal authorities while firefighting and control operations continue.

“We continue working 24/7, on the ground and as a team, for the safety of Playa del Carmen,” Mercado said.