Background on Querétaro’s Situation
Querétaro, a state in central Mexico, has been grappling with the adverse effects of a severe drought and an increase in forest fires. The state government has issued a declaration of emergency to address these pressing issues.
Understanding the Drought and Its Impact
The drought, referred to as the “estiaje” period, is a time of year when insufficient rainfall leads to a significant decrease in river and water source levels. This phenomenon typically aligns with the dry season, causing challenges in water supply for human consumption, agriculture, and other water-dependent activities.
According to the Monitor de Sequía de México (MSM), as of mid-April 2025, the drought conditions had worsened, highlighting the severity of the situation.
Moreover, the fire season coincides with the drought period, and human activities are responsible for 99% of forest fires in the country.
Forest Fires in Querétaro
From January 1 to April 17, 2025, the Mexican National Forestry Commission (CONAFOR) reported 34 forest fires in Querétaro, affecting 2,743 hectares. During the week of April 11-17, Querétaro ranked among the entities with the highest affected surface area.
Government Response and Actions
Following the first extraordinary session of 2025 by the Querétaro State Council of Civil Protection on April 22, a request was made to Governor Mauricio Kuri Gonzalez to declare the emergency.
With the emergency declaration, the Secretariat of Agricultural and Livestock Development (SEDEA), the State Water Commission (CEA), and the Querétaro State Coordination of Civil Protection (CEPCQ) are instructed to ensure sufficient, clean, acceptable, and affordable access to water within their respective jurisdictions. They are also tasked with developing preventive and firefighting measures.
Proposed actions include:
- Launching a massive awareness campaign for drought prevention and fire prevention during the dry season, focusing on water conservation, fire prevention, and timely reporting.
- Identifying affected municipalities and communities, planning water resource distribution logistics, and pinpointing areas with greater challenges in accessing water.
- Collaborating with municipalities to allocate necessary economic or material resources for delivering water to communities facing difficulties.
- Creating risk diagnostics, heat maps, and fire prevention strategies for the state; implementing active surveillance operations in critical zones, among other measures.
Public resources will be allocated based on financial viability and authorized budgetary allocations for fiscal year 2025 to procure necessary equipment and measures for preventing and combating forest fires and the drought season.
The emergency declaration will remain in effect until the drought-induced situation and forest fires are normalized, ensuring they do not pose a risk to the general population’s safety, integrity, physical, and mental well-being.
Previous Emergency Declaration
In May 2024, the state government had previously declared an emergency due to drought conditions. By early August of that year, the governor lifted the emergency status after rainfall increased reservoir levels.
