Colombia battles 18 severe wildfires amid El Niño
Colombia is facing a severe wildfire crisis as 18 fires remain active across four departments, fueled by ongoing El Niño conditions that have brought prolonged dry weather, Qazinform News Agency cites Xinhua.
Tolima was hardest hit, with 20,000 hectares burned after 26 days of emergency.
5 active fires were recorded in Narino, 2 active fires in Cundinamarca, another one in Valle del Cauca.
Local officials in Tolima have requested additional aerial support.
The army has deployed military engineers to help contain fire zones.
Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara reported intensified fires overnight in San Luis and Coello, where crews worked to protect homes and power transmission towers.
Firefighters, civil defense teams, soldiers, police, and residents are all engaged in ground operations.
Police have arrested two suspects amid signs of criminal activity linked to the fires.
Farmers in Tolima report heavy losses to lemon and avocado crops, urging stronger firefighting measures before flames reach residential areas.
Authorities warn El Niño could last until March 2027, prolonging wildfire risks.
As written before, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.3 struck northern Colombia at 16:45 GMT on Wednesday, according to the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences.
