Quito in Emergency State

More than a thousand hectares of vegetation have been consumed by the fire.

A few hours ago the mayor of Quito, Augusto Barrera, declared a state of emergency in the capital because of wildfires in the hills surrounding the city.

One of Barrera’s measures to combat the fire, is to be able to use public and private tankers to help extinguish the flames.

According to official data, more than a thousand hectares of vegetation have been consumed by the fire, and an average of 33 fires are being recorded daily in the capital.

The Fire Brigade Commander, Eber Arrojo, testified: “The fires have strongly beaten the district, my operational capacity is collapsing“.

Quito’s ability of managing this kind of risks, especially when the affected sectors may be urban and rural areas, is definitely being tested. (MZ)