In Memoriam: Dante Arturo Rodríguez Trejo
We mourn Dr. Dante Arturo Rodríguez Trejo, a leader in fire research in Mexico, who tragically passed away in 2024.
Below is a tribute to Dr. Rodríguez Trejo which was written by Ernesto Alvarado, Peter Fulé, and Diego Pérez Salicrup.
A Tribute to Dante Rodríguez Trejo
By Ernesto Alvarado, Peter Fulé, and Diego Pérez Salicrup
Professor Dante Arturo Rodríguez Trejo (1962-2024) was a key figure in research, education, and policy related to wildfire in Mexico for many decades. He passed away too early but left an impressive legacy for Mexico, North America, Latin America, and the world through his dedication and energy on behalf of science, students, and fire management.
Dante attending a wildfire training course in Arizona in 1984
Dante was a fire ecology and forest restoration professor for more than 30 years at the Universidad Autónoma Chapingo. Dante´s work was characterized by extraordinary diversity, intellectual depth, and high practical value in one of the world´s most biologically, geographically, and culturally diverse nations. An understandable limitation for many scientists is that we focus on relatively narrow, technical questions. But a broad perspective has been a theme of Dr. Rodríguez´s work since his early publications such as Bosquejo histórico sobre diversos aspectos de los incendios forestales en México (1992). While he was conducting his Ph.D. work at the University of Florida in 1996, he found the time to write the book Incendios Forestales, the first Mexican book entirely dedicated to wildfires. Dante continued, carrying through to the remarkable works of culture and art represented in his 2-volume Incendios de vegetación. In this book, Dante clearly pointed out the critical connections between society, Indigenous culture, and ecosystems, which must be understood to attempt to achieve sustainable co-existence. Dante’s multiple publications in international journals are a reference for Mexico’s fire ecology and management community.
Burned Pinus hartweggii on Iztaccíhuatl, Mexico, 2009
Dante also made key contributions through field and laboratory fire experiments and seedling propagation in native Mexican species, as well as developing international linkages and mentoring students and peers to build the modern network of expertise that characterizes the Mexican and Latin American wildland fire communities. The striking diversity of Dante´s career is that he integrated all of these contributions. We are not aware of another contemporary researcher who has contributed so much in distinct lines of research, practice, and education. His legacy is carried out by his students, collaborators, and managers.
Dante was passionate for track and field sports. Since high school, he was part of Chapingo’s team and continued training and competing until the last years of his life. In recent years, he represented Mexico in several international competitions at the masters level, where he won a medal in Decathlon. He also wrote the book Historia del Atletismo en la ENA-UACH y Otras Glorias Deportivas.
Pete Fulé with Dante and Lety in Mexico City, March 2024
Recently Dante contributed a chapter to the book Seis Vidas en Fuego (Stephen J. Pyne and Said Infante Gil, editors), recounting his intertwined career and personal achievements with family, colleagues, and students. Over two decades ago, in the early 2000´s, Dante reached out to me (Fulé) to work together on an overview of the fire-related traits of Mexican pines. In 2009, then-PhD student Larissa Yocom (now Utah State faculty) and I arrived in Chapingo to learn about fire research in Mexican mountain pine (P. harwegii), perhaps Dante´s favorite pine species. The kindness and depth of knowledge that Dante shared led to further research and friendship. Since then, I´ve had other opportunities to appreciate Dante and Lety, his wife, as expert hosts to the natural and cultural riches of central Mexico.
Emiliano, Lety, Dante, Dante Jr. (from left to right), and their dog Orión in 2021
Dante loved Lety and their sons Dante Jr. and Emiliano very much. One could always find the four of them spending valuable time together and planning their next family adventure. The journey they shared was truly beautiful, and his flame will burn forever in their hearts.
We miss Dante. As expressed in a tribute by Jorge Pulido in Revista incendios y Riesgos naturales (March 2025), the best tribute we can pay to his legacy is to continue teaching, researching, and sharing across borders of disciplines and nations, seeking to understand fire as a natural and human phenomenon.
Dante working on some seeds at his home in 2020
