Peru Calls State of Emergency as Fires Continue to Burn

By Sophie Ritzenthaler

The Peruvian President Dina Boluarte declared a state of emergency in three regions of Peru on Wednesday, September 18, as forest fires have continued to burn. In San Martin, Amazonas, and Ucayali regions, a 60 day state of emergency has been declared as extra resources have been allocated to slow the spread of the fires. Land in the country’s Andean and Amazionian croplands have been the most affected with the fires leaving 16 dead so far. The fires have also caused significant damages to crops and archaeological treasures and firefighters said it has grown increasingly difficult to fight the flames. Firefighters have said that the fires are out of control as President Boluarte urged farmers and their communities to stop burning grasslands as that, along with the lack of rainfall caused by climate change have been causing the fires. 

Forest fires frequent regions in Peru from August to November and this season around 240 fires have broken out in 22 of the country’s 25 regions. While more than 80 percent of the fires had been controlled by Wednesday, the 20 percent still burning called for a state of emergency. In total 5,680 acres of farmland have burned so far this season with palm and cocoa crops being the most affected. Peru is not the only country being ravaged by fires in South America with Bolivia and Brazil breaking records for the number of fires this year. Climate change has been setting natural disaster records all over the world this year as the earth’s temperature continues to warm.