Colombia's town of Villa de Leyva faces major wildfire danger
A massive wildfire in the central Colombian department of Boyaca has reduced forty hectares to ashes while threatening the tourist town of Villa de Leyva.
A major wildfire in central Colombia is threatening the tourist town of Villa de Leyva, which draws more than a million visitors annually, as authorities mobilize all state resources to combat the flames.
Location and Scale of the Fire
The flames are affecting the San Marcos slope in the upper parts of the historic town, located in the Boyaca department on the slopes of the Andes Mountains. As part of the firefighting efforts, more than forty hectares of native forest land have been reduced to ashes by the fire so far.
State Mobilization and Support
In a statement on social media, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella stated that the town is not alone and committed to dispatching all state resources. The Boyaca departmental government sent two aircraft, and numerous firefighting teams were directed to the region from the capital, Bogota.
Drought and El Nino Impact
While forest fires increase during the dry season in the equatorial Andes, this year the crisis has grown even larger due to a severe El Nino weather pattern and climate change. Official data reported that there are currently eighteen active forest fires nationwide.