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After earthquake, forest fires rage in Colombia; government blames 'criminal hands'
🇦🇷 Argentina /Disasters & Emergencies

After earthquake, forest fires rage in Colombia; government blames 'criminal hands'

From Clarín · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Over 30,000 hectares have been consumed by forest fires in Tolima, Colombia, with authorities suspecting arson.
  • Governor Adriana Magali Matiz cited community videos and fire department reports suggesting intentional ignition, possibly to facilitate other criminal activities.
  • The fires have destroyed productive land, affected crops, and killed livestock, while authorities are seeking international aid to combat the blazes.

Forest fires have ravaged over 30,000 hectares in Colombia's Tolima department, making it the most affected region in the country. Authorities are increasingly suspecting that these fires are intentional acts of arson. The governor of Tolima, Adriana Magali Matiz, stated that there are "serious indications of criminal hands at play" and that a formal complaint has been filed with the Prosecutor's Office to investigate those responsible.

We have serious indications that there are criminal hands. For that reason, we have filed a complaint with the Prosecutor's Office to investigate those responsible.

— Adriana Magali MatizExplaining the suspicion of arson behind the forest fires in Tolima.

Governor Matiz pointed to community videos showing individuals on motorcycles starting fires and a fire department report indicating that one blaze was possibly ignited with fuel. She theorizes that criminals might be exploiting the diversion of security forces to fire-fighting efforts to engage in illegal activities, such as gold mining, in a strategic corridor south of the department. This region is known to be active with dissident factions of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group.

passed two men on a motorcycle and started the fire

— Community membersReported by Governor Matiz, describing how one fire allegedly started.

Matiz described the timing of the fires, occurring alongside armed harassment, drone attacks, and threats against public officials by illegal armed groups in several municipalities, as a "strange coincidence." President Abelardo de la Espriella has ordered a forceful state response and requested assistance from Chile and the United States to help extinguish the fires. The Minister of the Interior, Rodrigo Lara, announced that a new anti-terrorism statute is being drafted to provide Congress with enhanced tools to combat criminal groups suspected of orchestrating these fires and other illegal actions.

strange coincidence

— Adriana Magali MatizReferring to the timing of the fires alongside other armed group activities.

As of Tuesday, 16 fires remained active across Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Cundinamarca, Boyacá, and Nariño, according to the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management. Tolima continues to be the most severely impacted, with eight active fires in rural areas where aerial and ground teams are working to contain them. The governor reported that some fires are of significant magnitude, affecting large areas and multiple foci. While the fires have not caused human casualties, some individuals have been treated for smoke inhalation. The economic impact is substantial, with estimates of over 50 homes lost, approximately 8,000 hectares of cultivated land affected, and around 22,000 head of cattle lost.

act with all the force of the State

— Abelardo de la EspriellaOrdering a strong government response to the suspected arson.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Clarín in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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