Over 17,000 hectares in Colombia destroyed by forest fires in hottest January for decades
- More than 340 fires have been recorded in recent weeks, spurred by drought, with residents near burnt areas advised to avoid going outside due to poor air quality
- President Gustavo Petro has declared a natural disaster, allowed funds to be diverted towards containing the blazes, and appealed for international aid
Forest fires have destroyed more than 17,000 hectares in Colombia since November, the authorities said, as the country faces its hottest January in decades.
More than 340 fires have been recorded in that period, spurred by prolonged drought, record heat, and the El Nino weather phenomenon, Environment Minister Susana Muhamad said on Friday, adding that 26 fires were still blazing.
Colombia has been battling several fires near the capital since Monday, including some in the mountains overlooking Bogota, and authorities have advised residents living close to burnt areas to avoid going outside because of the poor air quality.
“Today, we have a fire in the Nevada del Cocuy,” a natural park with snow-capped peaks about 250km (155 miles) northeast of Bogota, Muhamad told a press conference.
She added that the flames were at a “quite high” point in the park, so a helicopter had been deployed to assess the situation.
One of the fires is burning about 900 metres from Bogota’s eastern El Paraiso neighbourhood.