Simone Biles among tourists stranded by wildfire near Peru's Machu Picchu

American gymnastics star Simone Biles found herself unexpectedly delayed in Peru, caught in the disruption caused by a wildfire near the iconic Machu Picchu. The blaze, which ignited on Monday, has scorched an estimated 1.5 hectares of forest and led to rockfalls onto the railway tracks.

Consequently, train services to the famed Inca citadel were suspended on Tuesday afternoon. Biles, in Peru as a guest of Panam Sports to kick off the countdown for the Lima 2027 Pan American Games, had been scheduled to visit Machu Picchu that day. The organizing committee confirmed her visit was postponed "until further notice" due to the "natural events" affecting the route.

Despite the setback, Biles managed to explore the Sacred Valley, visiting Ollantaytambo's main square and the towns of Urubamba and Chinchero. She shared her delight with the country's beauty, culture, and people, stating, "I am delighted with how beautiful this country is, its culture, the colors and the kindness of its people. I will definitely come back later. There is much to see, it is an impressive country."

Biles, an 11-time Olympic medalist, returned to Lima on Wednesday evening. She is set to participate in a ceremony with Paralympic athlete Karen Palomeque to launch the one-year countdown to the Lima 2027 Pan American and Parapan American Games. The Games are scheduled from July 23 to August 8, 2027, bringing together over 7,000 athletes from 41 nations.

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I am delighted with how beautiful this country is, its culture, the colors and the kindness of its people. I will definitely come back later. There is much to see, it is an impressive country.