Forest fire in northern Quito controlled after waste burning in La Gasca

A forest fire in Quito’s La Gasca sector sent a dense column of smoke over the city on Monday afternoon after waste was burned in the area.

The emergency call reached Ecuador’s ECU 911 at 12:47 p.m. Quito firefighters and Metropolitan Transit Agency officers responded while surveillance cameras monitored the smoke moving across the hillside and its proximity to nearby buildings.

Fire crews fought the flames on the ground with support from an institutional helicopter, which dropped water over the affected area. Authorities said the situation was under control at about 2 p.m., after which crews began cooling the site to prevent the fire from reigniting.

No injuries or damage to homes had been reported by that point. The Metropolitan Transit Agency closed traffic at the intersection of Mariscal Sucre Avenue and Humberto Albornoz, urging drivers to use caution and take alternative routes.

The Quito fire department said the blaze began with waste burning in the sector. It warned that burning rubbish or dry grass is not harmless and can threaten people, homes and the natural environment.