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Fires rage in Colombia's Tolima: 'Lives, animals, nature lost' as 25,000 hectares burn
🇨🇴 Colombia /Environment & Climate

Fires rage in Colombia's Tolima: 'Lives, animals, nature lost' as 25,000 hectares burn

From El Tiempo · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • Over 25,000 hectares of forest have been consumed by wildfires in Colombia's Tolima region, with 10 active fires currently burning.
  • Residents describe devastating losses of flora, fauna, and livelihoods, with one farmer losing 550 avocado trees cultivated over a decade.
  • Authorities are struggling to contain the blazes, with concerns that some fires may have been intentionally set, as community members have reportedly apprehended arsonists.

Wildfires are ravaging Colombia's Tolima region, consuming over 25,000 hectares of forest and leaving a trail of destruction. Ten fires remain active across nine municipalities, with residents sharing harrowing accounts of loss.

We need support, for all technical capacity to be mobilized. There's a mountain on the other side that's burning, and we can't get there. Someone else reports another fire, and we can't get there either, and we've been like this for several weeks.

— Unidentified individual working on firesDescribing the overwhelming scale and difficulty of fighting the widespread fires in Tolima.

"We need support, for all technical capacity to be mobilized," pleaded one individual involved in firefighting efforts. "There's a mountain on the other side that's burning, and we can't get there. Someone else reports another fire, and we can't get there either." This sentiment highlights the overwhelming scale of the crisis, which has persisted for weeks.

These are lives, territories, animals, families, nature that is being affected and lost. We thank you for continuing to contribute help.

— Unidentified individual working on firesEmphasizing the severe impact of the fires on living beings and the environment.

The impact extends beyond the natural landscape, affecting countless lives and livelihoods. One farmer, Don Elver, tearfully recounted losing 550 avocado trees, the result of 10 to 12 years of effort and bank loans. "I have no words, the effort is lost," he said, appealing for more help for himself and others facing similar devastation. Videos circulating show desperate efforts to save animals, with helpers offering water to thirsty, heat-stricken creatures.

I have no words, the effort is lost. I hope it doesn't happen to others, we are with 25 people helping, we need more help. Hopefully, the support is not just for me, but for everyone else.

— Don ElverA farmer expressing his devastation after losing 550 avocado trees to the fires.

Authorities are working to control the flames, but the situation is dire. The Tolima Secretary of Risk Management, Érica Lozano, noted a disturbing trend: "The community itself has captured people setting fires." This revelation adds a layer of concern, suggesting that some of the extensive damage may be the result of deliberate acts, compounding the ecological and economic tragedy.

The community itself has captured people setting fires.

— Érica LozanoThe Secretary of Risk Management of Tolima revealing concerns about intentional fire-setting.
DistantNews Editorial

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

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