Massive fires rage through Mexican forest

Fires engulf thousands of hectares of a Mexican forest with authorities calling in soldiers to help firefighters control the massive blaze.The blaze in the La Primavera forest has already ravaged some 4,000 hectares (9880 acres) of the protected reserve since Saturday, officials at the federal environmental ministry reported.Over 450 firefighters, soldiers and six specialist air force helicopters have been called in to help authorities bring the stubborn flames under control.Alan Garcia, the Minister for Rural Development for the drug-ravaged Jalisco state, told reporters that preliminary investigations led authorities to suspect the blaze could have been caused by burning at an illegal garbage dump. However, he said he wasnt convinced by that theory and that the investigation continued. He added though, that there were concerns that suspected gang members living in the forest could be hindering investigators access.The first reports suggested some vandals, but there was an area where authorities asked for access and they were met with arms. What they had to do was return but they were intimidated by people controlling (an area) which has a big effect on the forest, said Garcia.In recent years, authorities have uncovered outdoor drug labs in Jaliscos forests.Soldiers and firefighters are sweeping through the large forest to isolate small fires whilst helicopters above douse large flames. Keen to stop the blaze from spreading to different zones of the protected reserve, soldiers and firefighters are looking to put out existing fires and stop embers from catching alight again.