Colombian authorities have declared a public calamity as a major wildfire scorches the mountains surrounding Villa de Leyva, a historic colonial town in the country’s northeast, forcing local evacuations and burning hundreds of hectares.
By Sunday evening, emergency officials reported that the blaze surrounding Villa de Leyva had affected approximately 290 hectares (717 acres) of vegetation. Ground crews and emergency personnel managed to bring the fire to roughly 50 percent control despite strong winds that drove flames toward populated areas.
Aerial firefighting operations deployed heavily over the weekend to assist ground crews. Carlos Amaya, the governor of the Boyacá department where Villa de Leyva is located, stated that aircraft conducted approximately 170 water drops on Sunday, releasing 240,000 liters (63,400 gallons) of water over the affected terrain.
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella confirmed via social media platform X on Sunday that the Villa de Leyva fire was about 50 percent controlled and contained on the ground. Meanwhile, Environment Minister Fabio Arjona indicated that preliminary reports from the national disaster management agency suggest the wildfire may have been started deliberately, though an official investigation into the cause remains ongoing.
The fire near Villa de Leyva is part of a broader wildfire outbreak affecting the region. Colombia’s national disaster management agency reported monitoring 27 forest fires nationwide in its latest update, with 19 remaining active and eight brought under control. Nine of the active fires are concentrated in Tolima, a mountainous region southwest of Bogotá, while others are burning across parts of the Andean zone.
Dry weather conditions and elevated temperatures linked to the incoming El Niño climate pattern have heightened fire risks across Colombia. The national weather agency reported last week that 279 municipalities were under wildfire alerts, including 36 classified under the highest red-alert level, primarily concentrated in the Andean and Caribbean regions. Between June 16 and August 6, government figures show Colombia recorded 438 forest fires across 191 municipalities, impacting roughly 7,153 hectares of land.
Neighboring Ecuador is experiencing similar environmental pressure, with its national risk management agency reporting 12 active wildfires across the country on Sunday and more than 21,800 hectares of vegetation burned so far this year.
Sources
– [The Guardian World](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/21/colombia-wildfire-villa-de-leyva)
Source: The Guardian World
Corrections
If you believe this article contains an error, contact Herald Express with the source URL and supporting evidence.
Story synopsis gathered from: The Guardian World — source
