Forest fire regime and distribution in the State of Mexico (2000 to 201)

Abstract

Forest fires promote global changes that affect the biosphere and are regarded as the third cause of loss and degradation of large stretches of forest lands. They are a significant source of gas emissions that cause global warming and the loss of millions of tons of carbon stored in the ecosystems and other major environmental repercussions. In recent years, the State of Mexico has held the first places in number of forest fires at national level. This paper analyzes the forest fire regime, which is determined by changes in the climate variables and the type of vegetal cover. For this purpose, the daily climatological and forest fire database generated by the Air Quality Monitoring Network and the Forest Protection Agency was reviewed between the years 2000 and 201. The results show an annual frequency rate of 1 418 forest fires affecting an average surface area of 5 141 hectares, with an average destruction rate of 3.3 hectares per fire. These occur reiteratively with a marked seasonality in the spring and summer, as well as a recurrence period of 1 or 2 years, based on the precipitation, humidity and temperature attained in the previous year. Highly severe fires occur in the ecosystems of temperate and rain forests.