Colombia Declares Calamity as Wildfire Threatens Colonial Town of Villa de Leyva

Colombian authorities have declared a public calamity as a wildfire continues to burn through the mountains surrounding Villa de Leyva, a colonial-era town in the country's northeast that draws large numbers of tourists.

The fire, which started on Saturday on a mountain overlooking the town, had affected roughly 290 hectares (717 acres) by Sunday evening — an area comparable to about 400 soccer fields — and was approximately 50 percent under control, officials said. President Abelardo De La Espriella said in a post on X that the blaze was about half controlled and contained on the ground.

Villa de Leyva lies about 160 kilometers (100 miles) northeast of Bogota. Local authorities declared an emergency, suspended in-person classes on Monday and carried out preventive evacuations, including at hotels close to the fire. Strong winds repeatedly pushed flames toward populated areas, complicating containment.

More than 400 firefighters, emergency workers, residents and volunteers joined the response, supported by four helicopters. Carlos Amaya, governor of Boyaca state, said aircraft carried out about 170 water drops on Sunday, releasing some 240,000 liters (63,400 gallons).

Environment Minister Fabio Arjona said preliminary information from the disaster management agency suggested the fire may have been deliberately started, though authorities are still investigating.

Nationwide, the disaster management agency said it was monitoring 27 forest fires, with 19 still active and eight under control. Nine of the active fires were in Tolima, a mountainous region southwest of Bogota, while others burned across parts of the Andean region.

The weather agency said last week that 279 municipalities were under some level of wildfire warning, including 36 at the highest red-alert level, with much of the risk concentrated in the Andean and Caribbean regions. Between June 16 and Aug. 6, Colombia recorded 438 forest fires in 191 municipalities, affecting about 7,153 hectares (17,675 acres) of vegetation.

Dry conditions have raised fire danger as Colombia braces for the effects of El Niño, a periodic warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean that can reduce rainfall and raise temperatures, helping wildfires spread. Disaster officials have said the period of greatest risk for the region from the developing El Niño is expected between October and April, with wildfires and water shortages among the main concerns.

Neighboring Ecuador is also battling a wave of wildfires. Its national risk management agency said Sunday that 12 fires remained active, with more than 21,800 hectares (53,900 acres) of vegetation burned so far this year. High temperatures and strong winds have helped flames spread rapidly in some areas. A fire on the slopes of the Imbabura volcano burned about 300 hectares (740 acres) before being brought under control Sunday after three days of firefighting.