Introduction and Relevance
In 2025, Mexico has recorded a total of 2,885 forest fires across its 32 federal entities, affecting an area of 216,270.31 hectares (ha), according to data from the Secretariat of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) and the National Forestry Commission (CONAFOR).
Distribution of Affected Areas
The report reveals that 95% of the affected surface area corresponds to vegetation in the herbaceous and shrub layers, while only 5% pertains to the arboreal layer. Out of these fires, 617 (21%) affected sensitive ecosystems to fire, covering an area of 44,650.15 ha (21%).
Compared to the previous year, there is a 25.66% decrease in total fire incidents, from 3,881 cases in week 16 of 2024 to the current 2,885. However, the affected surface area has decreased by 37.4%, from 345,715.09 ha in 2024 to the current 216,270.31 ha.
Although 2024 saw the highest affected surface area since 2019, it did not have the most fires. The year 2021 holds that title, with 5,014 forest fires reported in week 16 across the nation.
Geographical Distribution and Duration
Location:
- Jalisco reported the highest number of fires with a total of 485.
- The State of Mexico followed closely with 477 events.
- Michoacán ranked third with 292 fires.
- The Federal District and Chihuahua completed the top four with 269 and 181 fires, respectively.
- Puebla, Durango, Veracruz, Chiapas, and Morelos followed, with 164, 145, 77, 66, and 64 fires, respectively.
These ten states account for 2,220 events, which represent 77% of the total fires.
Surface Area Affected:
- Chihuahua leads with the most affected area, at 32,581.76 ha.
- Baja California follows with 30,096.23 ha.
- Jalisco comes in third with 27,130.79 ha.
- Sinaloa follows with 18,110.61 ha.
- Chiapas rounds out the top five with 11,027.97 ha.
Fire Duration
The report from SEMARNAT and CONAFOR also provides insights into the duration of these fires:
- 1,802 fires lasted only one day.
- 800 fires burned for two to three days.
- 200 fires required between four and seven days to be contained.
- Only 83 fires took more than six days to extinguish.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the total number of forest fires in Mexico in 2025? There have been 2,885 forest fires reported across Mexico’s 32 federal entities.
- What percentage of the affected area corresponds to each vegetation layer? 95% is herbaceous and shrub layers, while only 5% is arboreal.
- How do the 2025 fire numbers compare to those in 2024? There is a 25.66% decrease in total fire incidents, but the affected surface area has decreased by 37.4%.
- Which states experienced the most forest fires in 2025? Jalisco led with 485 fires, followed by the State of Mexico (477), and Michoacán (292).
- Which states had the largest affected areas? Chihuahua topped the list with 32,581.76 ha, followed by Baja California (30,096.23 ha), Jalisco (27,130.79 ha), Sinaloa (18,110.61 ha), and Chiapas (11,027.97 ha).
- What is the average duration of forest fires in Mexico during 2025? Most fires (1,802) lasted only one day; 800 fires burned for two to three days, while 200 required between four and seven days. Only 83 fires took more than six days to extinguish.
