On the outskirts of Quito, the capital of Ecuador, five wild fires were extinguished on Wednesday, which started due to the ongoing drought in the South American countries.
About 2,000 firefighters, military personnel and rescue workers were sent to Quito to contain the fires and bring residents of the affected areas to safety.
At least six people, including two children and two firefighters, were injured in the fires, and around 100 families were evacuated from their homes.
“Quito is under attack,” the city’s security chief, Carolina Andrade, told reporters.
Ecuadorian authorities believe that arsonists had on the east side of Quito on Tuesday and engulfed the city in smoke.
A 19-year-old man who was caught with a gas cylinder has been arrested, authorities said Wednesday.
Quito Mayor Pablo Muñoz vowed on Wednesday to pursue those responsible for the “terrorist” fires.
Because of the crisis, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa was forced to cancel his speech at the UN General Assembly and return to his home country from New York on Tuesday.
In Quito, home to three million people, school hours were canceled and government offices went into remote work mode due to poor air quality.
Quito has been fighting wildfires for three weeks.
In Brazil, fires have destroyed millions of hectares of forest and farmland in recent weeks. Cities like Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are wrapped in smoke, sometimes blown across national borders to Argentina and Uruguay.
Due to the drought, uncontrolled fires have also broken out in Colombia, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay and Peru.
2024-09-26 18:21:51
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