Wildfire Hits Los Illinizas Ecological Reserve in Ecuador’s Pichincha Province

Emergency teams have been deployed to a wildfire burning inside Ecuador’s Los Illinizas Ecological Reserve in Mejía canton, Pichincha province. The fire began at about 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026.

The Aerial Rescue Squadron flew over the El Chaupi parish to identify the fire’s location, assess its size and determine how far it had spread. On the ground, crews carried out suppression, mopping-up and extinguishing operations.

The response aims to prevent the flames from reaching other parts of the reserve, including its páramo ecosystems and water resources. The operation brings together the Mejía municipal fire department and municipality, fire departments from Latacunga and Cayambe, the Environment Ministry, the armed forces, community brigades, the National Risk Management Secretariat, Aglomerados Cotopaxi and the Red Cross.

The Ecuadorian Army is also supporting the National Risk Management Secretariat in efforts to control and fight the fire. Participating institutions urged the public not to conduct open-air burns and asked residents to report any activity that could endanger the natural area. Crews remain in the reserve as they work to contain and extinguish the blaze.