Massive Wildfire Threatens Colonial Town of Villa de Leyva in Colombia
· World · Al Jazeera, The Guardian
A large forest fire has consumed 40 hectares of native vegetation near the tourist town of Villa de Leyva in Colombia's Boyaca department. The blaze is currently threatening the historic town, which is known for its colonial architecture and attracts over a million visitors annually. President Abelardo de la Espriella has pledged state resources to protect the area, with military helicopters and firefighting teams from Bogota and Tunja dispatched to assist local crews. The fire is one of 18 active wildfires currently burning across Colombia, driven by record high temperatures and a severe El Nino weather pattern. This climate-driven event has created tinderbox conditions across the Andean region, significantly reducing rainfall and increasing the risk of further blazes.
Why it matters
The fire poses a direct threat to a major cultural and tourist landmark in Colombia, while the broader El Nino-fuelled crisis highlights the increasing vulnerability of Andean ecosystems to extreme weather and climate change.
Read the original report — Al Jazeera
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