08 Oct 2019 | 12:29 PM UTC
Bolivia: Forest fires in three departments extinguished October 7 /update 5
Government announces that forest fires have been extinguished in three departments as of October 7
Event
The Bolivian government has announced on Monday, October 7, that forest fires in the Chiquitania region have been extinguished. The Pando, Beni, and Santa Cruz departments had been significantly affected by the fires, with Santa Cruz as the most affected.
An estimated 2.9 million hectares (7.2 million acres) of forest burned, including at least 40 million trees burned. Heavy rainfall helped firefighting efforts across the territory. The environment minister stated that firefighters would continue to monitor the situation to ensure that no fire would reignite.
Context
The fires had been ongoing for at least more than one month. Several protests were held to condemn the government's limited response and in demands for more resources to put the fires out.
Advice
Individuals in Pando, Beni, and Santa Cruz departments are advised to monitor developments, exercise caution when traveling in areas near wildfires, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities (e.g. evacuation orders).
