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In Pictures

News|Climate

Wildfires rage near Colombia’s capital as temperatures soar

Forest fires have destroyed more than 17,000 hectares, with blazes burning kilometres from Bogota’s residential areas.

Smoke rises from a fire burning on the slopes of the mountains surrounding Nemocon, north of Bogota
Smoke rises from a fire burning on the slopes of the mountains surrounding Nemocon, north of Bogota, Colombia, on January 23, 2024. [Ivan Valencia/AP]
Published On 27 Jan 202427 Jan 2024
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Forest fires have destroyed more than 17,000 hectares (42,008) in Colombia since November, authorities have said, as the country faces its hottest January in decades.

More than 340 fires have been recorded during 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.

One of the fires is burning about 900 metres (2,953) from Bogota’s eastern El Paraiso neighbourhood.

Some residents affected by the smoke were being treated, the Colombian Red Cross in Bogota wrote on social media platform X, alongside photos of emergency workers helping a man wearing a face mask.

President Gustavo Petro this week declared a natural disaster, allowing funds to be diverted from other budget items towards containing the blazes, and appealed for international aid.

Bogota’s El Dorado International Airport returned to normal operations on Friday after restrictions the previous day affected 138 flights.

This month is shaping up to be the hottest January in 30 years, according to Ghisliane Echeverry, director of the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies in Colombia.

Echeverry warned that February could see even higher temperatures, and only in March will rains help to “mitigate” the consequences of the extreme heat.

Meanwhile, authorities are investigating whether arsonists are causing some of the fires, and police have arrested 26 people for “fire-related offences”.

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General view of the city as forest fires burn on a hill, after the district government declared an air quality emergency, in Bogota, Colombia, January 26
A general view of Colombia's capital city after the district government declared an air quality emergency, amid continuing forest fires. [Antonio Cascio/Reuters]
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A man wears a face mask after the district government declared an air quality emergency due to forest fires on a hill, in Bogota
A man wears a face mask after Colombia's district government declared an air quality emergency due to forest fires. [Antonio Cascio/Reuters]
Firefighters work to control a forest fire on El Cable Hill in Bogota, Colombia, Thursday, Jan. 25
Firefighters work to control a forest fire on El Cable Hill in Bogota. [Fernando Vergara/AP]
The sun rises during a forest fire on El Cable Hill in Bogota
The sun rises during a forest fire on El Cable Hill in Bogota. [Fernando Vergara/AP]
A helicopter sprays water on a forest fire burning El Cable Hill in Bogota, Colombia, Thursday, Jan. 25
A helicopter sprays water on a forest fire burning El Cable Hill. [Fernando Vergara/AP]
Burnt Espeletia plants are seen after a forest fire at the Berlin paramo in Santander department, Colombia
Burnt Espeletia plants are seen after a forest fire at the Berlin paramo in Santander department. Colombia has asked UN member countries for help to extinguish forest fires ravaging several regions and drowning the capital in smoke. [Miguel Vergel/AFP]
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A firefighter puts out a forest fire in Nemocon, Colombia
A firefighter puts out a forest fire in Nemocon, Colombia. [Luis Acosta/AFP]
Aerial view of a forest fire in Bogota on January 25
An aerial view of a forest fire in Bogota. [Raul Arboleda/AFP]
People carry gallons of water to help to put out the forest fire in Nemocon, Colombia on January 26
People carry gallons of water to help put out the forest fire in Nemocon. [Luis Acosta/AFP]
A woman puts out a forest fire in Bogota
A woman puts out a forest fire in Bogota. [Raul Arboleda/AFP]
View of the aftermath of a forest fire in Nemocon, Colombia
A view of the aftermath of a forest fire in Nemocon. [Luis Acosta/AFP]


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