The metropolitan area of Monterrey, Nuevo León, reported 239 fires across the city due to strong winds and a cold front, according to Governor Samuel García.  

In an interview for news outlet Milenio on Tuesday night, García said that Nuevo León had experienced an “atypical” day.

Hoy vivimos un día atípico en todo el estado con un frente frío que provocó tolvaneras e incendios en la ciudad. Gracias a Dios van 0 heridos y solo quedan 5 incendios por sofocar durante la madrugada. Acá te lo explico en mi entrevista en Milenio. pic.twitter.com/GojNpgRJ4O

— Samuel García (@samuel_garcias) March 5, 2025

Nuevo León Governor Samuel García gave an interview to the Mexican news outlet Milenio on Tuesday, in which he said that many of the fires started in vacant lots.

“We are experiencing an atypical day throughout the state with a cold front that caused dust storms and fires in the city,” García said, adding that there had been no reports of injuries.

Firefighters had extinguished 236 of the fires by Wednesday, with three remaining active in the municipalities of Monterrey, García and Santa Catarina, according to an X post by García earlier today. The latter two municipalities are part of the Monterrey metropolitan zone.

García also told Milenio that many of the fires had started in vacant lots. 

Gov. García said that air support and members of the state’s Phoenix Brigade and Civil Protection, as well as the federal Defense Ministry (Defensa), National Guard and National Forestry Commission (Conafor), continue to work to put down the state’s remaining fires. 

In Monterrey, a forest fire is currently affecting three hectares on Cerro del Topo Chico mountain. The fire is 50% contained and is 40% under control, authorities said. 

In Santa Catarina, flames have damaged 23 hectares along the García highway. According to authorities, the fire started in a vacant lot before spreading to a car lot and then an auto parts store.

In García, 20 hectares have been consumed by fire, which also originated in a vacant lot before spreading to the buildings of several companies in the area.

Monterrey was the most affected, with 73 reports of fires. The number of fires reported in other municipalities of the metropolitan zone included: 

• García: 48 fires, three of which were considered of “greater magnitude.” 
• General Escobedo: 40 
• Apodaca: 34
• Santa Catarina: 33 
• Guadalupe: 32

Due to the fires, the Environment Ministry expanded the state’s environmental contingency alert which had already been activated prior to the fires. Authorities called on residents to avoid any activity outdoors until current conditions improve.

So far, 10 people have been arrested as suspects in some of the incidents.

While authorities have not elaborated on what role these suspects might have played in the fires, Nuevo León does have a law — as do many municipalities and states in Mexico — requiring vacant lots to be cleared by certain legal deadlines. Noncompliant landowners can find their lots summarily cleared by the city and face a fine. As a result, it’s a commonly known practice across Mexico for landowners to cheaply comply with such laws by setting their lots on fire.

One of the three yearly deadlines for Nuevo León landowners to clear vacant lots is in March. 

With reports from Infobae, Nmas and Vanguardia