Wildfire management reports emerge from Mexico and Colombia

Authorities in Querétaro, Mexico, report that approximately 70% of brush and grassland fires recorded this year were intentionally set. Javier Amaya Torres, director of the State Civil Protection Coordination, noted that many fires began during the afternoon or evening when solar radiation was insufficient to cause spontaneous combustion. Despite this, the region saw a significant decrease in forest fires compared to the previous year.

In Bello, Colombia, emergency services have brought a forest fire at Cerro Quitasol under 80% control. The Secretaría de Gestión del Riesgo and local firefighters are currently conducting cooling operations on underground hotspots to prevent reignition. No injuries or residential damages have been reported in the Bello incident, which remains confined to vegetated areas.

In Querétaro, officials are now shifting focus toward rain-related risks, specifically unstable slopes along Federal Highway 120 in the Sierra Gorda. Regarding water security, state dams are currently at approximately 46% capacity, with the Zimapán dam exceeding 60%.