Forums > Areas > Jalisco's Lake Chapala Region

jsandrock

Apr 27, 2009, 7:31 PM

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Fire on the mountain...

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gbatrucks

Apr 30, 2009, 7:17 AM

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Re: [jsandrock] Fire on the mountain...

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Actually this is planned, especially in the Jocotepec agricultural area. Many of the fields are burned off at the end of the dry season to prepare for planting and the start of the rains in June. The fires you see up the mountain may be small private plots of corn....or it may be the Feds burning a pot field.
"The trouble with life is there's no background music."

Hound Dog

Apr 30, 2009, 10:20 AM

Post #3 of 7 (3661 views)

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Re: [jsandrock] Fire on the mountain...

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Does anyone have any news about the fire(s) they've been battling up on the mountain? I first saw the flames yesterday from my rooftop (in West Ajijic) and being an ex-Californian, was concerned since it would take just a little while for that fire up there to burn down the hill and threaten us. Apparently the one I am seeing is in the Jocotepec municipio and their bomberos are fighting it but there was another one in Chapala that was also tying the Chapala firemen up. There were helicopters sent in today but as I write this it's 9:30 p.m. and I can still see some flames up there.

I sure hope some nutcase isn't starting these things. That would be just TOOOO reminiscent of the U.S. of A.!!

Mr. Rock:

I presume you are new to this area. This is the time of the year for agricultural burning which is a common practice all over Mexico where agricultural pursuits are followed. In Chiapas the burning takes place a month earlier than here because the rainy season starts in May rather than June as at Lake Chapala.

During the annual agricultural burn, the sky is obscured and the burn is often accompanied by serious forest fires and inversion layers and, consequently, the irritants can become much worse to the point of discomfort or even health hazards to humans.

Just relax and this too shall pass.

johanson

Apr 30, 2009, 11:01 AM

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Re: [Hound Dog] Fire on the mountain...

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Yesterday there was a helicopter flying between the lake and the fire. Back and forth, back and forth. It wasn't that large of a helicopter, therefore the small bag that carried water was not that large. I understand there were/are two fires. I don't know which one they were fighting. They were West of Ajijic, perhaps near San Juan Cosala, I could not tell.

But like the Dog said, there are often fires at this time of the year set by the locals to clear the land. Maybe this fire went too far. I have no idea

jsandrock

Apr 30, 2009, 11:23 AM

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Re: [Hound Dog] Fire on the mountain...

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Yeah, I was cool with the idea of it being part of the culture to let fires burn and indeed to set them to clear land -- until the flames came over the ridge a couple of nights ago and it seemed to be heading for town, at which point the helicopter showed up; I think it was just too close for comfort. We all know that in the U.S. those monster fires that happen are because too much fuel accumulates and when it does catch fire it goes nuts and burns thousands of homes. So I get that the periodic burning off is a better way to keep the land cleared. But when the helicopter returned yesterday and started making its rounds back and forth and back and forth with his little "canasta" for water I figured in some form or fashion it had gotten out of hand and the gobierno had intervened.

I actually commented to my husband as we watched the guy patiently go back to the lake umpty-ump times for water "the only difference between now and a hundred years ago is that in the old days it probably would have been a burro going back and forth to the lake bringing water to put the fire out"! Anyway it seems to be out, or pretty much out, as I write this, and peace seems to reign on the cerro.

¡Viva México!

Georgia

May 1, 2009, 8:12 AM

Post #6 of 7 (3585 views)

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Re: [jsandrock] Fire on the mountain...

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There isn't as much of a fire load on these hills as there normally is in the US. Fallen wood is usually "harvested" and carried off constantly by donkeys. The wood is used for heat and cooking here. This constant clearing of the underbrush and deadwood mitigates the type of brush fires we always get at this time of year.

jsandrock

May 2, 2009, 11:07 AM

Post #7 of 7 (3538 views)

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Re: [Georgia] Fire on the mountain...

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Yeah, that all makes perfect sense...thanks!

I figure if it gets out of hand the helicóptero will show up like it did the other day....

All is calm till the next time!