Colombia faces wildfire alerts and extreme temperature anomalies

Colombia is facing significant weather extremes, with the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (Ideam) issuing wildfire alerts for 468 municipalities. High temperatures and dry conditions have placed 17 departments under red alert, particularly during afternoon hours. Cundinamarca has the highest concentration of high-risk areas with 50 municipalities in red alert, followed by Tolima with 24 and Boyacá with 18.

Temperature records have shown extreme contrasts across the country during early September. In Pailitas, Cesar, temperatures reached 42°C, while other regions experienced lows of 2°C. Ideam reported that maximum temperature anomalies in several stations significantly exceeded historical climatological records from 1991 to 2020. Notable heat spikes were recorded in Fredonia (41.4°C), Saldaña (41°C), and Valledupar (40.2°C), affecting both traditionally warm regions and more moderate areas like the coffee axis and inter-Andean valleys.