The Cundinamarca Fire Brigade has confirmed the forest fire in the municipality of Mosquera has been reactivated, and efforts are ongoing to control and completely extinguish the blaze. The conflagration has been occurring in the locality in department of Cundinamarca since June 15.
Kabul24: The commander of the regional Fire Brigade, Captain Alvaro Farfan has informed that they continue their efforts to control the forest fire in the rural area of Mosquera starting from 5:00 in the morning.
However, due to the strong winds and difficult topography in accessing certain areas, the firefighters have been unable to fully bring the fire under control. As a result, the fire continues to consume over 20 hectares of the natural reserve, according to the Fire Department.
No Risk of Explosion at Nuevo Mondonedo Landfill Despite Forest Fire Proximity, Assures Fire Department
Furthermore, it has been emphasized that there is no risk of an explosion occurring at the Nuevo Mondonedo landfill, despite rumors circulating on social media and within the community.
To ensure the fire does not advance towards the landfill facilities, ten personnel from the Nuevo Mondonedo brigade have been stationed overnight on June 16.
The Fire Department stated that a defensive line was established in collaboration with other agencies such as Civil Defense and Firefighters. Manual tools were employed to prevent the fire from spreading to the landfill facilities.
On the other hand, Captain Farfan stressed that preventing a potential fire and subsequent explosion at the Nuevo Mondonedo landfill is one of their top priorities.
They highlighted the significant environmental impact such an event could have, considering the known accumulation of methane gas in the area. However, at present, fire personnel are monitoring the situation, and the entity assures that there is currently no risk.
In recent days, authorities have drawn attention to the imminent arrival of the El Nino Phenomenon in the country. This weather phenomenon could potentially generate or contribute to forest damage of this nature.
Forest Fire Incidents in Colombia Drop by 70% in 2023, Shows Conservation Group’s Report
According to the local advocacy group Foundation for Conservation and Sustainable Development (FCDS), forest fire incidents in Colombia decreased by nearly 70% in the first 30 days of 2023 compared to the same period in the previous year.
This decline is attributed to a reduction in illegal logging practices, where cleared forests are often burned during the dry months to make way for cattle ranching, illegal mining, and coca cultivation (used for cocaine production).
The FCDS reported a total of 13,123 forest fire alerts across the country during the first month of the year, significantly lower than the 41,960 alerts recorded in the same period the previous year.
