Aug 25: Wildfires continue to spread across parts of Colombia as high temperatures, strong winds and dry conditions linked to El Niño make it increasingly difficult for emergency teams to bring the blazes under control.
Pic Credit: Pexel
Colombia's National Unit for Disaster Risk Management said on Monday that 12 wildfires remained active across three departments, even as authorities reported that 84 fires had been extinguished during the previous seven days.
The department of Tolima has been the worst affected, with 10 active fires, while Caldas and Huila have reported one active fire each.
Coello municipality in Tolima is among the areas facing the most serious situation. Mayor Santiago Herrera has appealed to the national government for urgent aerial support, saying local firefighting teams are struggling to reach multiple fire spots across the municipality.
Herrera said three rural areas of Coello currently have six active fire points. Around 100 rescue and wildfire-response personnel, together with local residents, are working to contain the fires, but limited resources and difficult terrain have made the operation more challenging.
The mayor said helicopter support is urgently required to help cool the affected areas and allow ground teams to access fire zones that are difficult to reach.
More than 2,000 hectares of land have been affected in Coello, with around 7,000 people impacted, particularly in the rural community of Chaguala.
Authorities have linked the recent increase in wildfire activity to El Niño-related weather conditions, which are contributing to higher temperatures and drier conditions across affected areas.
Wildfires began increasing in Colombia in early August, and authorities expect the El Niño conditions to continue in the country until March 2027.
Emergency agencies and local authorities are continuing firefighting and monitoring operations, while affected communities remain on alert as weather conditions could further increase the risk of new fires.a
