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🇨🇴 Colombia /Disasters & Emergencies

Large Forest Fire Hits Mountain Area in Yumbo, Colombia

From El Tiempo · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • A forest fire broke out in the Cerro El Gordo and Dapa sectors of Yumbo, Valle del Cauca, with flames visible from several parts of the municipality.
  • Firefighters, Civil Defence and the municipal disaster-risk council deployed about 40 emergency personnel to contain the blaze and protect nearby residential areas.
  • Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara said the extent of the damage remained under assessment and that the national disaster agency was arranging aerial support.

A forest fire spread through the mountainous Guabinas area of Yumbo, Valle del Cauca, prompting an emergency operation because residential areas lie nearby.

The fire was reported at about 4:45 p.m. on Sunday, September 6. Emergency agencies said the flames were burning in Cerro El Gordo and Dapa, across a broad area of vegetation. The intensity of the fire made its glow visible from different parts of the municipality.

As Minister of the Interior, I report the National Firefighters Directorate’s report on the forest fire in Yumbo, Valle del Cauca.

· Rodrigo LaraThe interior minister announced the official response to the fire.

Firefighters from Yumbo, supported by Civil Defence and the Municipal Disaster Risk Management Council, led the response. About 40 personnel from different emergency organisations took part in efforts to contain the flames and prevent them from reaching homes.

The fire is in Cerro El Gordo and Dapa. It is being handled by the Yumbo Volunteer Fire Corps, with support from Civil Defence and the Municipal Disaster Risk Management Council.

· Rodrigo LaraHe identified the affected sectors and the agencies coordinating the emergency response.

Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara said on X that he was coordinating the necessary response. “As Minister of the Interior, I report the National Firefighters Directorate’s report on the forest fire in Yumbo, Valle del Cauca,” Lara wrote.

He said the fire was located in Cerro El Gordo and Dapa and was being handled by the Yumbo Volunteer Fire Corps, with support from Civil Defence and the municipal risk-management council. “The impact is being verified. The UNGRD is already arranging air support,” he added.

The impact is being verified. The UNGRD is already arranging air support.

· Rodrigo LaraHe said officials were still assessing the scale of the damage and seeking aerial assistance.
About this summary

Originally published by El Tiempo in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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