Ecuador Declares National Emergency Amid Wildfire Crisis
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Ecuador on Monday (November 18) declared a 60-day state of national emergency amid raging wildfires, which have resulted in evacuations and the destruction of 24,700 acres of land, Reuters reports. The situation has remained critical.
As of Monday, Ecuador’s firefighting efforts were focused on 13 fires, nine of which had been brought under control. The fires have destroyed large sections of protected areas, including Cajas National Park, which houses diverse flora and fauna.
The fires, which affected the provinces of Azuay and Loja especially, were exacerbated by a four-month-long severe drought that caused water shortages and power outages of up to 14 hours a day, Reuters said.
“The whole country is suffering the ravages of this great drought that has already lasted almost 120 days,” Ecuador’s Risk Management Secretary Jorge Carrillo told local radio broadcaster FM Mundo.
Carrillo stressed the importance of fighting the fire by air as many affected areas with rugged terrain are exceedingly difficult to reach by land. International assistance has been sought, and Italy and Peru have provided firefighting helicopters, AFP reported.
Other South American countries, including Peru and Brazil, have also faced droughts and ensuing wildfires this year.
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