A wildfire burning along the primary access road to the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu in Peru has left one person dead and two others injured, according to officials. The blaze erupted on Friday in the Sacred Valley of the Cusco region, an area that includes the Ollantaytambo train station, which serves as the main transit point for travelers visiting the historic sanctuary.
Miguel Osco, head of the Cusco Regional Office for Disaster Management and Safety, provided details on the casualties to RPP radio. “We have one elderly person who died in the flames and two others with second-degree burns,” Osco stated.
Officials attributed the origin of the fire to controlled bush burning conducted by local farmers to clear land for agriculture. The flames spread rapidly due to a combination of hot, windy conditions and dry vegetation.
Machu Picchu, constructed by the Incas in the 15th century, sits at an altitude of 2,500 meters in the Andes Mountains. Recognized as an architectural masterpiece, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and remains Peru’s most prominent tourist destination, welcoming approximately three million visitors annually.
I can’t believe an elderly person lost their life near such a historic site. This needs better emergency response planning.
Three million tourists a year and yet infrastructure protection for locals seems ignored until tragedy strikes like this.
This happens every dry season. Farmers use controlled burns, but the wind and dry grass make them uncontrollable too often.
Absolutely heartbreaking news. The Sacred Valley is so beautiful, but these fires are becoming a terrifying annual threat.