Authorities in Colombia reported on Sunday that they were combatting forest fires in seven departments, as a harsh drought worsens blazes across Latin America.
From Ecuador to Brazil, many countries in Latin America are facing their worst drought in decades, leading to an intense fire season that has put residents and governments on high alert.
The National Unit for Risk and Disaster Management in Colombia stated in their latest report that nearly 11,000 hectares (27,000 acres) have been destroyed by fires.
Some of the affected departments share borders with Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil, where fires are also raging.
To combat a fire in the village of Nagataima in the Andean Tolima department, authorities deployed eight airplanes, resulting in two injuries due to the blaze.
In Ecuador, power outages in 12 provinces were initiated on Sunday to conserve electricity as the country, dependent on hydroelectric power, faces its worst drought in over six decades.
Nightly blackouts are scheduled from Monday to Thursday to preserve water resources after 71 days of no rain, as stated by the presidency.
The Peruvian government declared a state of emergency for 60 days in the three most affected departments, bordering Brazil and Ecuador in the jungle regions, due to fires.
The drought has led to a decrease in the flow of the Amazon River in the regions where Colombia borders Peru and Brazil, impacting food supplies and jeopardizing residents’ well-being.
In the Brazilian Amazon, the Madeira River has dried up significantly, forcing residents to walk across the barren sands to access food, water, healthcare, and education for their children.
Brazil, the largest country in South America, has experienced severe effects of the drought, largely attributed to climate change.
Smoke from fires has engulfed major cities like Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, and Sao Paulo, destroying millions of hectares of forest and farmland from the Amazon rainforest to the Pantanal wetlands.
Many of the fires are intentionally set by farmers clearing land for agriculture.
During the worst fire days, smoke has drifted across the border to neighboring Argentina, which is also dealing with its own fires, and Uruguay.
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