Flammable Mexico

Abstract

The frequency of disturbances is an important factor contributing to the megabiodiversity of Mexico, and fire is a prominent disturbance in this region. Here I briefly summarise important aspects of fire ecology in Mexico and introduce a new book for fire science in this country: Incendios de la vegetación (Vegetation fires) by D. Rodríguez-Trejo. The book covers many fire topics including fire ecology, fire behaviour, fire management, fire history and the anthropology of fire, and provides a basis for sustainable vegetation management in the region; it also advocates for the use of fire as a management tool. The message is that the biodiversity of Mexico, and therefore its management, cannot be understood without considering fire.