The bark beetle, wildfires, frost, and hail are accumulating damage across thousands of hectares. Drought and pressure on aquifers worsen the situation.
Pests and weather events are causing significant losses to Durango’s forests and crops, with approximately 4,500 hectares of forest affected by the bark beetle alone, along with agricultural damage caused by frost, hailstorms, and other pests. Sector estimates place the combined economic impact between 300 and 400 million Mexican pesos, although there is still no consolidated official assessment. The situation carries significant economic weight because Durango is the state with the largest forested area in Mexico, while drought and water availability add further pressure.
The main concern is the bark beetle, whose spread has already reached approximately 4,500 hectares and could exceed 6,000 hectares by the end of the year, according to Raúl Barraza Armstrong, president of the Confederation of Forest Producers of Durango. The pest primarily affects pine trees: by developing beneath the bark, it interferes with the circulation of nutrients and water, weakens the trees, and can cause their death. The accumulation of dead trees also increases the amount of available combustible material in the event of wildfires.
The scale of the problem is particularly significant in a territory with approximately 4.2 million hectares of forest, the largest forested area in Mexico. To strengthen response capacity, Undersecretary Felipe Coria reported that the number of brigades dedicated to firefighting increased from 60 to 73, an increase of nearly 22%. The measure seeks to contain both active fires and the risk resulting from areas deteriorated by pests and dry periods.
The bark beetle advances while wildfires leave 2,800 hectares burned
By July, approximately 120 forest fires had been recorded in Durango, affecting around 2,800 hectares. Although the figure remains significant, the affected area represents a 46% reduction compared with the 5,200 hectares affected during 2025. The reinforcement of the brigades seeks to maintain this decrease, particularly in areas where dead or weakened trees caused by the bark beetle may increase the amount of dry material available to fuel new fires.
The economic impact attributed exclusively to this forest pest is estimated at approximately 200 million Mexican pesos, while wildfires would add another 50 million. Another 20 million pesos would be associated with other pests. Although the figures still require a definitive official assessment, they show that forest damage represents a considerable portion of the losses affecting the state’s productive sector and that prevention may increasingly place pressure on public and private budgets.
The pressure does not end in the forests. During January and February, frost affected approximately 2,000 hectares of crops in northern municipalities and mountainous areas. Later, hailstorms in May and June caused damage to another 1,500 hectares in areas of the Sierra Madre Occidental. Combined, these events are estimated to have generated agricultural losses of nearly 55 million pesos, affecting producers who must also face higher costs to recover fields and prepare for the next production cycles.
Drought, grasshoppers, and stressed aquifers complicate the agricultural sector
In addition to damage caused by cold and hail, grasshoppers have been reported in several municipalities, including Nuevo Ideal, where fumigation efforts have begun to contain their spread. These insects can rapidly consume leaves and plant tissue when their populations become large, reducing the productive capacity of fields. Their presence requires increased monitoring and can raise control costs, particularly for operations already dealing with losses caused by other weather-related factors.
Water is another critical issue. Twelve municipalities in Durango are facing severe drought conditions, while four aquifers in the La Laguna region are experiencing overexploitation. This combination reduces producers’ ability to respond to prolonged periods without rainfall and increases dependence on underground reserves that are already under significant pressure. In agriculture and livestock production, limited water availability affects planting decisions, forage production, and the maintenance of animals.
Available estimates place the accumulated losses between 300 and 400 million Mexican pesos, resulting from a year in which several problems are overlapping across the same productive structure. Producers and authorities are proposing stronger sanitary controls, wildfire prevention, reforestation, and water management, in addition to improving assistance for affected operations. The final extent of the damage will depend on how pests and weather conditions evolve over the coming months, particularly if the bark beetle reaches the more than 6,000 hectares projected by the end of the year.
Source: agrolatam
