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By KELIN DILLON

The Mexican National Forestry Commission (Conafor) announced that 120 active forest fires raged across Mexico on Wednesday, March 27, affecting 19 out of 32 Mexican states and leaving four dead in their wake.

Wednesday’s figures, which hit approximately 7,137 hectares of land, represented a 26 percent increase in registered active forest fires from the day prior.

This marks the largest number of forest fires registered in Mexico in a single day in 2024.

“What we have this year is that we have a fairly extreme drought in a large part of the country, which generates much greater conditions for there to be a forest fire,” National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) Institute of Geography researcher Christoph Neger told Mexican daily publication El Economista. 

The State of Méxcio (Edoméx) was reportedly hit the hardest with a total of 24 active forest fires registered in the state on Wednesday, followed by Chiapas with 16, Michoacán with 13, Guerrero with 12, Oaxaca with 10, and Jalisco and Hidalgo with 8 fires each.

A total of 24 of Mexico’s Protected Natural Areas (ANP) have likewise been ravaged by the fires, particularly concentrated in Edoméx and Morelos.

Conafor went on to report that 8,380 firefighters were deployed to combat the flames, as well as a fleet of eight helicopters sent out to five states.

For his part, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) said there would be additional investigation into whether the fires were started intentionally or by natural causes.

“We would have to see if they are arson fires or if it is due to the drought situation and those who are not careful and cause the fires without there being something behind them,” said AMLO during his daily morning press conference on Wednesday, alleging that real estate firms could be behind the blazes.