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Lunes, 04 Abril 2016 10:37

Over 60,000 hectares affected in Colombia's wildfires

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The Colombian National Risk Management Unit informed over 1500 fires havepresented since January.

This year, so far more than 60,000 in 346 municipalities have been affected by the wildfires. The National Risk Management Unit said 1558 fires have presented. Moorlands, mountains and crops are the most affected lands. The majority of the fires, 90% approximately are caused by humans, according to the Unit.

Right now the most dangerous and worrying fire is developing in Unguía, a municipality from the northwest department of Chocó. It began on March 17 but it has already burned 5,000 ha of forest and mangroves.  Authorities say the have almost controlled it but it keeps getting out of their hands.

More so, wildfires have 8 focal points around the country. In Antioquia (northwest), Boyacá (center), Cesar (north), Chocó(west), Cundinamarca(center) and Norte de Santander (northeast).

During 2015 over 4,400 wildfires affected the country damaging an average of 110,000 hectares. The strongest El Niño ever reported in the country has been causing damages since October. Precipitation levels have decreased and temperatures have risen.

In the following months according to the Hydrology, Meteorological and Environmental studies Institute (IDEAM), rainfall will have a 40% deficit, especially in the Andes and Caribbean regions of Colombia.

LatinAmerican Post | Maria Andrea Marquez

Read 39014 times Last modified on Viernes, 18 Noviembre 2016 13:24
Published in Environment

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