Mexico fights 159 forest fires – El Financiero

Mexico is fighting 159 forest fires assets throughout the country in the middle of the second heat wave of the year that has also put the electrical grid under pressure.

The National Meteorological Service (SMN) issued an alert for at least 12 states that will record temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius, while in the rest of the country temperatures above 30 degrees are expected.

The heat wave has increased electricity demand, leading the national grid operator to declare the system in a state of emergency on Tuesday, meaning the available power was below adequate levels. The system returned to normal less than an hour later. However, on Wednesday, the operator Cenace declared the system on alert.

The National Forestry Commission (Conafor) said that The forest fires spread to 75,474 hectares. He also said 30 of the fires occurred in Protected natural areas.

Mexico City and other regions in the south of the country have suffered blackoutsas reported The financial on Wednesday, while some schools had to close or cut their schedules due to high temperatures in states such as San Luis Potosí and Nuevo León, reported The universal.

Some areas of the country have also been affected by the drought. The capital’s surrounding metropolis of some 20 million inhabitants has experienced a intermittent water supply in recent months due to lower than expected rainfall.

---

When does the second heat wave end in 2024?

The second heat wave that has affected Mexico for a week and has caused temperatures of up to 51 degrees, finally will end on Saturday, May 11, 2024according to forecasts from the National Meteorological Service.

The extended SMN forecast indicates that the anticyclonic circulation at medium levels, causing the second heat wave, will weaken starting this Saturday, when the cold front number 50which will cause the drop in temperatures.

The SMN indicated that the air mass of the cold front 50 will cause a cooling in temperatures in the north and northeast of the national territory, in addition to causing rain, strong gusts of wind, possible formation of whirlwinds and/or tornadoes, electric shocks and hail fall in Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas.