Peru declares emergency in three jungle regions due to fires

LimaPeruvian President Dina Boluarte declared a state of emergency on Wednesday in three jungle departments still affected by forest fires that have killed 16 people so far this year.

“We are agreeing to declare a state of emergency in the regions of San Martin, Amazonas and Ucayali,” Boluarte told reporters during a break in the weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers.

According to the president, of the more than 200 fires that have occurred in Andean and Amazonian areas of the country, “only 38 are active.”

“We are already 80 percent of the way toward controlling and extinguishing them,” he added.

The forest fires that persist are located precisely in the three departments declared in a state of emergency.

“We live in times of increasing climate change,” said Boluarte.

The fires have been favoured by the absence of rain and a strong and continuing drought.

The government’s decision comes after a series of criticisms from the governors of these regions, who demand greater resources and help after being overwhelmed by the fires.

Army, navy and air force helicopters have been sent to emergency areas, Boluarte said.

Peruvian authorities have blamed the fire on “human intervention” and urged people to avoid burning plant waste and shrubs to renew their farmland, an ancient practice that is believed to be effective because it quickly makes it suitable for new crops.

Activists had called on the government to take greater action in the face of “these large-scale disasters” that have caused human losses, damage to ecosystems and wildlife, according to the Peruvian Society of Environmental Law.

Forest fires, which began in July in various parts of Peru, have caused the deaths of 16 people so far this year, the Civil Defense reported on Tuesday.

The fires have scorched at least 1,495 hectares across the country, destroying corn, onion, peach and avocado crops.

In addition, two thousand hectares of grassland were affected.

The fires have been recorded mainly in the regions of Ancash, Huánuco, Ucayali, Amazonas, Madre de Dios, Piura, Lambayeque and San Martín.

The forest fire season will continue until November, Civil Defense warned.