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Tolima forest fires consume over 20,000 hectares in Colombia
Colombia is facing a severe environmental crisis as forest fires ravage the Tolima department, consuming over 20,000 hectares of forest and crops across at least 13 municipalities. The emergency has prompted the Departmental Risk Management Council to declare a state of public calamity. High temperatures reaching 40.8 degrees Celsius, drought, and strong winds have exacerbated the situation, with some flames extending up to seven kilometers.
Authorities have responded by deploying over 150 firefighters and hundreds of soldiers from the Sixth Brigade. Reinforcements, including specialized units from Bogotá, Valle del Cauca, Huila, Antioquia, and Boyacá, are being mobilized to critical areas such as San Luis, Coello, and Suárez. The National Police Training School (CENOP) in San Luis has issued an alert due to the proximity of the flames.
In response to the widespread fire risk, the Ministry of Environment has suspended all controlled open burning in rural areas nationwide. This measure aims to prevent further ignitions during the current dry season, which is being intensified by the El Niño phenomenon. The fires have caused significant damage to the agricultural sector, specifically impacting coffee, plantain, and avocado crops, as well as affecting approximately 18,000 cattle.
Entities
Adriana Magali Matiz · CENOP · Ministry of Environment · Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources · Ministry of the Interior · National Firefighters Directorate · National Police Training School · National Unit for Disaster Risk Management · Rodrigo Lara · Tolima · UNGRD · Valle Nuevo National Park
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 8 SOURCES] Forest fires in Tolima have consumed more than 20,000 hectares of forest and crops. lapatria.bo · elineanoticias.com · www.eje21.com.co · azuanoticias.com · www.boyacadigital.com · +2 more
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Departmental Risk Management Council declared a state of public calamity. lapatria.bo
- [● 5 SOURCES] Firefighters from Bogotá, Valle del Cauca, Huila, Antioquia, and Boyacá have been deployed to assist. www.elnuevodia.com.co · periodismopublico.com · elineanoticias.com · www.eje21.com.co
- [● 5 SOURCES] The National Police Training School (CENOP) in San Luis issued an alert due to the proximity of the flames. lapatria.bo · elineanoticias.com · www.eje21.com.co · larazon.co
- [● 4 SOURCES] Four municipalities in Tolima are under red alert. lapatria.bo · elineanoticias.com · www.eje21.com.co
- [● 5 SOURCES] More than 150 firefighters are working to control the active fires. elineanoticias.com · www.eje21.com.co · lapatria.bo
- [● 6 SOURCES] The fires are affecting at least 13 municipalities in Tolima. lapatria.bo · elineanoticias.com · www.eje21.com.co · meridiano70.co
- [● 4 SOURCES] Temperatures in the affected areas have reached 40.8 degrees Celsius. lapatria.bo · elineanoticias.com · www.eje21.com.co