Wildfire reaches Iguaque sanctuary as more than 700 hectares of protected land burn
Wildfire reaches Iguaque sanctuary as more than 700 hectares of protected land burn : A wildfire that began on the hills above Colombia’s historic town of Villa de Leyva has spread into the Santuario de Fauna y Flora Iguaque, with more than 700 hectares of the protected area now affected and two fire fronts still active. The emergency, which began on September 19 in the La Castellana area and on the San Marcos hillside overlooking Villa de Leyva, has expanded dramatically over four days. The latest assessment by Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, UNGRD, estimates that approximately 1,200 hectares have been affected across the region, including about 715 hectares inside the Iguaque sanctuary. Authorities say the wider fire is approximately 75% controlled, and the flames have been confined in areas close to homes. But the most difficult section of the emergency has shifted higher into the mountains, where steep terrain is making access for ground crews par...
