Heavy smoke from Bolivian fires threatens large parts of Argentina

Monday, September 9th 2024 - 13:27 UTC

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A cloud of thick smoke is expected to reach Buenos Aires between Monday and Tuesday

A large cloud of smoke stemming from wildfires in Bolivia threatens to cover the skies of 15 Argentine provinces and even reach the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA) between Monday and Tuesday, due to which “phenomena that may represent inconveniences or difficulties in the normal development in social life are expected,” according to the National Meteorological Service (SMN).

Smoke has already been detected to be causing problems in the northern city of Formosa, where visibility was cut down to 1.5 kilometers, while in Corrientes it reached 2 kilometers. SMN Spokeswoman Cindy Fernandez said that “the cloud from burning vegetation will also be transported towards the provinces of Cordoba, Santa Fe, Entre Rios and Buenos Aires, where it is expected that the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires will present reduced visibility” at least until Sept. 11.

Argentine provinces already affected by the forest fires in Bolivia are Misiones, Corrientes, Formosa, Santiago del Estero, and Chaco; and parts of Jujuy, Salta, Catamarca, Santa Fe, and Tucumán.

Meanwhile, the Bolivian Government declared a “national emergency” due to the forest fires that have affected more than 3.8 million hectares of forests and pastures, in an effort to coordinate relief operations with local and foreign authorities, Defense Minister Edmundo Novillo explained. The measure was adopted similar declarations by the local governments in the departments of Beni and Santa Cruz as fires keep jeopardizing the biodiversity of key areas such as the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, as well as protected areas in San Ignacio de Velasco and Concepción.

The natural disaster started three months ago, but everything got out of control recently after an intense drought due to a lack of rainfall. Some 5,000 volunteer firefighters have already been deployed to the area with airborne assistance from three helicopters, albeit with minimal results.

Bolivian Foreign Minister Celinda Sosa said countries such as Venezuela, France, and Brazil had pledged to help as the cities of Santa Cruz, La Paz, and Cochabamba are visibly polluted with smoke curtains that worsen air quality. In some areas, school classes have been canceled or rescheduled to virtual mode.

In Peru, one woman died and at least 19 other people were intoxicated due to forest fires in the northern region of Lambayeque. According to local media, the victim was a 40-year-old peasant in the locality of Incahuasi whose body was fully burned. She was rushed by Army personnel to a medical facility where she could not be saved.

Some 250,000 pine trees and at least 100 hectares of forest areas near Incahuasi have been burned down, it was also explained. The Peruvian Air Force Sunday deployed a Spartan C-27J aircraft with five boxes for 5,000 liters of water to attack the fires but the operation was halted due to adverse weather conditions.

Peru's National Meteorological and Hydrological Service forecast that this situation will remain virtually unchanged until Sept. 11 amid atmospheric conditions “that could favor the occurrence and spread of moderate to extreme intensity forest fires in the highlands and jungle.”