The National Forestry Commission (CONAFOR) reported until Sunday night 82 active forest fires, in 21 states of the country. Oaxaca is the state that recorded more cases, with 11, until the cut of 20:00 hours; Later, Jalisco, Michoacán and Guerrero were located, with 10 fires each, Chiapas recorded 8. The 82 fires affected 19.564 hectares; 8 of them were in protected natural areas, although all of them of lesser category.
However, according to Conafor, some red dots would be heat points, and not necessarily fires.
The 82 active fires recorded by the commission until Sunday night, he said, are not atypical for this season.
In the week of April 26 to May 2, to have a parameter, 181 wildfires were recorded; The following, from 3 to 9 May, 215 wildfires occurred, i.e. 34 fires.
Forest fire figures, en 2019
From 1 January to 9 May this year, that is, in four months, had been registered 4.425 wildfires in 30 states, affecting an area of 152.952 hectares, according to official data of the Forestry Commission.
In the same period, the State of Mexico was the one that had recorded more fires, 1.174; In second place, Michoacan was located with 464, and in third Mexico City, with 445.
In 1998, a peak of 11.005 fires was reached. Since then, the numbers have gone down. In 2016, they were a total of 6.626; In 2017, 6.870, and in 2018 a total of 5.122.
From 1998 to 2018, The average was 6.187 wildfires a year.
Why so much smoke?
The authorities indicated that at least 20 fires in the capital and 30 fires in the state of Mexico, during this weekend, caused smoke and poor air quality, which generated annoyances among citizens.
Among the fires, highlighted in Mexico City a fire of plastic materials and tires in the mayor of Cuajimalpa, and in the state of Mexico the outbreak of a magazine in Tultepec and a plastic factory in Atizapán de Zaragoza
For Sunday night, in Mexico City there were a couple of minor forest fires in Magdalena Contreras and Tláhuac, according to Conafor.
“Fires cause the emission of particles that have not been dispersed due to A system of atmospheric stability that causes the absence of winds, ” The Government of Mexico City indicated.
The year 2019, the authorities added, has presented meteorological conditions that aggravate the air quality of the Valley of Mexico, among them, to have the highest temperatures of the last three years, and little wind.
Given the situation of smoke by fire, “although it has not been reached to reach 151 points of the air quality index envisaged to activate Phase 1 of the contingency Plan”, the Environmental commission of the Megalopolis applied an “environmental alert”.
Recommended to the people in the Valley of Mexico for this Monday May 13th:
— Reduce the use of the car.
— Avoid outdoor activities. Do not perform vigorous activities such as intense exercise, which increases the dose of inhaled contaminants.
— Avoid the pursuit of civic, cultural, sporting and recreational activities outdoors in schools. If possible, vulnerable groups are encouraged to remain in their homes.
— Avoid cooking food with firewood, charcoal or gas; Do not ignite candles or incense and do not smoke.
Thank you for reading! Help us get on with our work. How? Now you can subscribe to the political Animal on Facebook. With your monthly donation you will receive special content. Find out how to subscribe here. Check out our list of frequently asked questions here.
