A large-scale wildfire in central Colombia is endangering the historic tourist destination of Villa de Leyva, according to local authorities. The blaze, located near the Andean town in the Boyaca department, has already destroyed 40 hectares of native forest and is currently engulfing the San Marcos hillside above the area’s well-known colonial architecture and cobblestone streets.
The inferno has generated thick smoke plumes visible from the town’s main square. On Saturday night, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella took to social media platform X to pledge full government support, stating, “Villa de Leyva is not alone.” He committed to mobilizing all state resources to protect what he described as a “historical jewel” and a source of national pride.
To assist in firefighting efforts, the Boyaca department government is deploying two aircraft, while a military helicopter has also been dispatched. Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara confirmed that Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galan will send a team of firefighters to reinforce local crews from Tunja and Boyaca, aiming to secure the urban center and contain the flames.
While forest fires in the equatorial Andes typically peak during the dry season, officials attribute the current severity to a strong El Niño weather pattern. Record-high temperatures and a critical lack of moisture have transformed vast areas of Andean vegetation into highly flammable material. According to the latest data from Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), the country is currently dealing with 18 active wildfires.
The impacts of El Niño vary across South America, causing extreme droughts in the northern part of the continent while bringing heavy rainfall to southern nations like Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. Scientists warn that this year’s event is intensified by climate change, which warms adjacent ocean waters and exacerbates drought conditions in countries like Colombia.
Stephanie Roe, lead climate scientist at the World Wildlife Fund, highlighted the compounding danger. “El Nino can bring devastating climate extremes on its own, but it’s unfolding today on a much warmer planet, increasing the likelihood that heat, drought, floods and fires will push communities and ecosystems beyond anything they have experienced before,” she said.
The president’s pledge is good, but we need sustained funding for prevention, not just reactive firefighting when disaster strikes.
18 active wildfires nationwide is a massive number. How does Colombia manage this level of simultaneous emergencies?
Does anyone know if the tourist sites are actually closed? The smoke is terrible but I want to support the local economy if safe.
El Niño and climate change are making these fires so much worse. It’s alarming to see the science play out in real time here.
Heartbreaking to see our historic town threatened. Hope the resources arrive before the flames reach the colonial center.