Latin American drought sparks severe forest fires across region

Colombian authorities are contending with forest fires across seven departments amid an intense drought affecting Latin America. From Ecuador to Brazil, the region faces its most severe drought in decades, igniting a fierce fire season that alarms both residents and governments. The National Unit for Risk and Disaster Management in Colombia reported that nearly 11,000 hectares have been ravaged by fires. Several of the impacted departments are near Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil, which are also struggling with blazes. Eight planes have been deployed to combat a fire in Nagataima village, Tolima department, where two individuals sustained injuries.

In Ecuador, power outages occurred in 12 provinces on Sunday to conserve electricity, as the country relies heavily on hydroelectric power and endures its worst drought in 61 years. Nightly blackouts are scheduled from Monday to Thursday to “safeguard water resources” following 71 days without rain, according to a presidential statement.

Peru declared a 60-day state of emergency this week in three fire-stricken jungle departments bordering Brazil and Ecuador. The drought has diminished the Amazon River’s flow where Colombia meets Peru and Brazil, disrupting food supplies and endangering residents’ health. Additionally, the Madeira River in the Brazilian Amazon has dried up, forcing locals to abandon canoes and traverse its scorching sands to access food, water, healthcare, and education.

Brazil, the largest nation in South America, experiences some of the most severe drought effects attributed to climate change. Thick smoke envelops major cities like Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, and Sao Paulo, from fires that have devoured millions of hectares of forest and farmland from the Amazon to the Pantanal. Many fires are deliberately set by farmers clearing land for agriculture. On particularly bad days, smoke drifts across borders into Argentina and Uruguay, which are also dealing with their own fires.