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Fires consume more than 100 hectares in two provinces
Posted On 19 Jul 2017
Ecuadornews:
In spite of the efforts and preventive campaigns of bodies such as the Environment Ministry and the Ambato Fire Department, last week two forest fires affected significantly the Cusubamba and Pilisurco sectors, located in the Cotopaxi and Tungurahua provinces, respectively.
On Saturday afternoon, a column of white smoke alerted the dwellers from near the Pilisurco hill, southwest of the capital city of Tungurahua, where radio, television, and telephone antennas are located.
Although the causes are still investigated, the strong sun and its action on glass or dry vegetation would have triggered the burning of more than 100 hectares. An ECU-911 report notes that seven firefighters from the Salcedo County, supported by a patrol and a rescue unit, moved to the sector to quench the flames. These works extended for more than four hours since the fire spread easily by the action of the wind and the abundant presence of grass. (I)
