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Forest Fire Threatens Tourist Town in Colombian Andes
Confirmed
In Short: A forest fire was burning Sunday near the popular tourist town of Villa de Leyva in central Colombia, local officials said.
A forest fire was burning Sunday near the popular tourist town of Villa de Leyva in central Colombia, local officials said. The blaze had affected more than 200 hectares (494 acres) by Sunday afternoon, up from the initial 40 hectares reported earlier.
Some 250 local firefighters and residents were battling the fire, which began Saturday in a nearby forest. Volunteers used machetes and branches to slow the fire's spread, while a helicopter dropped water on the flames consuming eucalyptus trees.
The fire was visible from the central square of Villa de Leyva, a town known for its colonial architecture and cobblestone streets that attract more than a million tourists annually.
The country's Disaster Risk Management agency said the fire was 50 percent under control Sunday afternoon. President Abelardo de la Espriella pledged to deploy all state resources to protect the town and its natural wealth.
Forest fires are common during the dry season in the Andean region near the equator, but conditions have been intensified by the current El Nino weather pattern, bringing drought and high temperatures.
Stephanie Roe, lead climate scientist with the World Wildlife Fund, warned that El Nino can bring devastating climate extremes, and this year's pattern is unfolding on a much warmer planet, increasing the likelihood of severe heat, drought, floods, and fires.
The fire near Villa de Leyva is part of a larger crisis, with about 18 active forest fires across Colombia, according to the latest official data from the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management.
The flames were engulfing the San Marcos hillside above Villa de Leyva, threatening the town's heritage and natural wealth.
Local officials and volunteers are working tirelessly to contain the fire, but the severe El Nino weather pattern has made the situation more challenging.
The government's commitment to mobilizing resources to fight the fire highlights the importance of Villa de Leyva to Colombia's cultural and natural heritage.
What's confirmed
- A forest fire was burning Sunday in central Colombia near the popular tourist town of Villa de Leyva, officials said.
- Some 200 hectares (494 acres) have been affected thus far, local official Jose Castro told AFP, more than four times the area reported on Sunday morning.
- Some 250 local firefighters and residents were fighting the blaze in the afternoon, about 24 hours after it began Saturday in a nearby forest.
- Volunteers tried to slow the fire's spread with machetes and branches, while a helicopter dropped water on the flames that were consuming eucalyptus trees.
- The country's Disaster Risk Management agency said in a statement Sunday afternoon that the fire was 50 percent "under control."
- Forest fires are common during the dry season in the Andean region near the equator, but conditions have been intensified during the current El Nino weather pattern, which is bringing drought and high temperatures.
- There are about 18 active forest fires Colombia, according to the latest official data.
- The flames were visible from the central square of the Andean town, known for its colonial architecture and cobblestone streets, that attracts more than a million tourists each year.
- "We will deploy all state resources to fight this fire and protect its inhabitants, its heritage, and its natural wealth."
What's still developing
- This year, it comes supercharged by the effects of climate change, which is worrying many scientists, governments and aid workers.
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