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Colombia: Environmental alert caused by forest fires in the Orinoquía and Amazon
86,000 hectares are affected by fires.
A gang of criminals and the dry season are the cause of the fires in the Orinoquía and the Amazon, affecting the air quality in different cities, mainly in Bogotá.
A recent report from the National Crisis Room indicates that from December 16 to February 4, 301 forest fires have been treated in 142 municipalities located in 20 of the 32 departments of Colombia, according to the National Unit for Fire Management. Disaster Risk (UNGRD).
In a statement from the Unit, 291 fires have been attended by the National Disaster Risk Management System and firefighters.
Daniel Palacios, Minister of the Interior, told the media that most of the fires have occurred in the Amazon, approximately 173. These have been increased thanks to the practices of criminals who work in that area.
These gangs seek to burn the forests to open spaces for the cultivation of cocaine, and other times people do it to obtain fields for cattle ranching, contributing a grain to the increase in deforestation.
The authorities focus the work on calming the flames that damage the forests of the territory of Calamar, located in the department of Guaviare.
The minister points out that there are four points that have constantly presented fires in that area.
Diego Molano, Minister of Defense, assured that the environmental crime was carried out by the dissidents of the former guerrilla of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), after flying over the Chiribiquete National Natural Park.
Molano affirmed that the Miller Perdomo column has sought to generate forest fires these last four days for two purposes.
The first is to take over land, by destroying the forest, and the second hopes to generate illegal cattle ranching to use it to launder drug money in the area.
