Colombian authorities declared a public calamity after a wildfire swept the mountains surrounding Villa de Leyva, a popular tourist town 160 kilometres northeast of Bogotá. The blaze began on Saturday on a mountain overlooking the town and has scorched large swaths of vegetation.
By Sunday evening, authorities reported that about 290 hectares—roughly 400 soccer fields—had been affected, and the fire was about 50 percent under control. Strong winds complicated containment efforts, pushing flames toward populated areas and prompting local officials to declare an emergency, suspend in‑person classes, and carry out preventive evacuations, including at nearby hotels.
More than 400 firefighters, emergency workers, residents and volunteers joined the response. Four helicopters dropped water on the flames, and Governor Carlos Amaya of Boyacá said aircraft delivered about 170 drops, releasing 240,000 litres of water. The governor also noted that the fire was contained on the ground.
The national disaster management agency said it was monitoring 27 forest fires nationwide, with 19 still active and eight under control. Nine of the active fires were in Tolima, a mountainous region southwest of Bogotá, while others burned across the Andean region. The weather agency warned that 279 municipalities were under some level of wildfire alert, 36 of them at the highest red‑alert level.
Ecuador is also battling a wave of wildfires, with 12 fires remaining active and more than 21,800 hectares of vegetation burned this year. High temperatures and strong winds have helped flames spread rapidly in some areas, and officials say the period of greatest risk from the developing El Niño is expected between October and April, when wildfires and water shortages are major concerns.
