Tungurahua forest fires burn over 1,490 hectares in Ecuador

Between January 1 and October 15, 2026, the Tungurahua province in Ecuador experienced 422 forest fires, affecting approximately 1,491 hectares across 54 parishes. The fires have caused significant damage to crops, wildlife habitats, and drinking water systems.

Ambato recorded the highest number of individual emergencies with 207 fires, followed by Pelileo with 103 and Píllaro with 39. However, Baños de Agua Santa suffered the greatest loss of land area, with 631.42 hectares burned. Other notable areas of impact include Pelileo with 323.23 hectares and Ambato with 291.8 hectares.

Emergency response efforts involving firefighters, military personnel, police, and local residents have faced challenges due to difficult geographic access in certain sectors. Recent intense activity in October saw fire departments responding to as many as ten emergencies per day.