The United States, Chile, Peru and Canada are going to send help against fires in Colombia

The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petroannounced this Thursday that USA., Chili, Peru and Canada They have already responded to the request for international help that was made yesterday to fight at least 31 fires that affect the country and that has also been sent to the European Union (EU) Yet the UN.

“Humanity has developed solidarity mechanisms (…) we are going to activate it (…) At this moment on our continent, the USA, Chile, Peru are the countries that have already responded, and Canada in the last moment that has an enormous experience”Petro told the press in Tumaco, a city on the Pacific that has become the headquarters of the Executive this week.

Petro announced on Wednesday that it was going to ask for international help to combat the 31 active fires in the country and those that may develop in the next two months in which the El Niño phenomenon, causing high temperatures and droughts, is expected to spread. and today help has been formally requested from the UN and the EU disaster management agency.

For this reason, the president was sure that this help “will begin to arrive” soon. “You will see how with our capacity and international capabilities we solve this moment of climate crisis translated into warming temperatures in our country.”

In Colombia there are 31 active forest fires affecting nine departments in the north and center of the country and Bogotá. In addition, there are more than 900 municipalities on red alert and 62 with water stress, according to the president’s latest report.

The most worrying fires are those in the eastern hills and El Cable hill, in Bogotá, since the smoke spreads throughout a good part of the capital and is affecting air quality and air operations, but also the fires in Nemocón (Cundinamarca ) and the Berlin paramo (Santander), which is part of the Saturbán paramero complex, essential for supplying drinking water to the northeast of Colombia.

The Government convened last night the national committee for risk management where the decision to declare the situation of disaster and calamity was made official, which will allow budgetary resources to be moved to mitigate the fires, above all, according to Petro, to guarantee access to drinking water. and for air operations that deal with fire outbreaks.

In fact, according to Petro, Colombia is already developing “the largest helicopter operation in the history of the country carried out to respond to emergencies”, with 600 troops working to put out the fires and all available air units are operating.

The authorities, however, were concerned, as there are still two more months in which the incidence of El Niño is expected to be high, so fires are expected to continue, drinking water reserves will decrease and more disasters will occur. such as landslides in areas where this phenomenon is bringing rain instead of drought.

For this reason, the Government called on local authorities to use official channels and communicate directly with the Unified Command Post (PMU) to report any mishap so that it can be attended to with the greatest urgency.