Colombia issued an international appeal for help yesterday Thursday in order to deal with the approximately 30 forest fires raging in various provinces of the country, as well as in the capital Bogota, where the flames are approaching a residential area.

Speaking to reporters, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said he had “activated the international aid request protocols” so that the country could deal with the 31 fires that had destroyed about 6,000 hectares of forest by Wednesday.

According to the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM), 87% of the country – which was declared on Wednesday in a state of “natural disaster” – faces a “high risk” from the fires.

Petro pointed out that the US, Chile, Peru and Canada have already responded to Colombia’s request.

A total of 31 fires were active yesterday in five provinces of the country, according to civil protection (UNGRD). Four of them are raging in the capital, while one fire on the hill of El Cablé, in the Bogotá region, is approaching a residential area.

“The winds have brought her close, but she is still more than 900 meters from the houses. We are monitoring it (…) If necessary, we will proceed with evacuations,” Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galan said yesterday.

Smoke has blanketed the center of the city of eight million people, and more than 300 firefighters, military and rescue workers have been deployed to tackle the flames.

The mayor asked “residents around the areas where the fires are raging to wear masks” while announcing the closure of schools and a university affected by the smoke. At the same time, he advised citizens to avoid exercising outdoors, close the windows of their homes and put wet towels under the doors.

The warmest January

Civil aviation said flights were being “restricted” due to smoke and morning humidity, but added that the situation was “normalising”. Around 138 flights were affected yesterday morning, of which 48 were canceled and 16 diverted to other airports.

Wild animals, birds, squirrels, raccoons have been seen seeking shelter in urban areas.

Colombia is affected by the El Niño weather phenomenon, which causes record heat, drought and wildfires.

“This January is predicted to be the warmest, according to the data we have,” Gislian Eseveri, director of Ideam, which has been recording temperatures in Colombia for 30 years, said during a press conference.

Nine municipalities in northern, central and eastern Colombia recorded record temperatures on Tuesday, reaching 40 degrees Celsius, according to Ideam, while January is normally the coolest month of the year.

“Currently, 62 municipalities are in a state of water shortage, that is, the water reserves are equal to or less than the demand”, underlined Petros.

Since the beginning of November, 336 fires have been recorded in 174 municipalities and at least 66,180 hectares of vegetation have been destroyed, according to Colombia’s civil protection.