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Quito faces major forest fire emergency and arson arrest
Quito is facing a severe environmental emergency as multiple forest fires have affected approximately 1,200 hectares since June. On September 17, 2026, several simultaneous emergencies required massive deployments from the Quito Fire Department, involving hundreds of personnel and dozens of vehicles to combat fires in sectors including Casitagua, La Vicentina, Itchimbía, and Villaflora.
Authorities have identified a pattern of intentionality in some of these incidents. In the La Vicentina sector, a man identified as Luis Fernando D. P. was apprehended by transit agents and police while fleeing the scene. He was found in possession of matches and newspaper, and has since been placed under preventive detention following charges of forest and vegetation arson.
The fires have caused significant smoke plumes, impacting air quality and affecting numerous neighborhoods such as Cotocollao and Pusuquí. The municipal government has issued health recommendations, including the use of masks and keeping windows closed, to protect vulnerable populations from respiratory distress.
Entities
Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo · Cuerpo de Bomberos de Quito · ECU 911 · Fiscalía General del Estado · Luis Fernando D. P. · Movimiento de Trabajadores Excluidos · Pabel Muñoz · Quito
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] ECU 911 coordinated the response to several fires reported between Wednesday, September 16, and Thursday, September 17. www.expreso.ec
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Firefighters controlled a waste burning in Villaflora, south of Quito. www.expreso.ec
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Firefighters attended a forest fire outbreak in Casitagua. www.expreso.ec
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A forest fire was reported in Moraspungo, south of Quito. www.expreso.ec