The drought in Colombia, induced by the climatic phenomenon known as El Niño which warms the waters of the Pacific Ocean and disrupts atmospheric circulation, is only just beginning. And already, in several parts of the country, the thermometer is breaking records and forest fires are multiplying, not sparing the capital Bogota, populated by 8 million inhabitants. The Head of State, Gustavo Petro, decreed “state of natural disaster” and requested help from international cooperation.
More than 350 fires have broken out in the country since November, according to the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (Ideam). And 17,000 hectares of forests have already been devoured by flames.
On the evening of Sunday January 28, Environment Minister Susana Muhamad announced that 35 fires had been extinguished across the country in the last few hours. “There are seven forest fires still active, and seven under control,” said the minister, recalling that the month of February was expected to be difficult due to high temperatures. Satellite photos show a map of Colombia without a single cloud, an unusual occurrence in this country of snow-capped peaks and humid jungles.
At 2,600 meters above sea level
Stored in drawers since the end of the pandemic, masks have reappeared on the streets of Bogota where the weather is rare. But the air is slightly cloudy and smells burnt. The forested mountains which, to the east, dominate the city, spewed plumes of thick smoke for seven days. Helped by the army and the air force, the firefighters fought fiercely against the two fires which broke out in the folds of the mountain.
The Colombian capital extends over a vast plain at an altitude of 2,600 meters in the heart of the Andes mountain range. “Fire spreads less quickly at altitude because oxygen is rarer, explains economist Mauricio Perez, recalling that never in five centuries of history has the Colombian capital experienced a devastating fire. But the relative inexperience and unpreparedness of municipal authorities in matters of fire complicates the situation. »
One of the capital’s fires, on the slopes of the summit known as El Cable, has moved closer to residential neighborhoods. Schools and a university suspended their face-to-face activities for three days. Authorities recommend that the elderly and those with respiratory illnesses stay at home. Images of birds, squirrels and rodents seeking refuge in the city are circulating on social networks.
You have 55% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.