Three regions in Bolivia have suspended in-person classes due to the intense smoke covering much of the Andean nation, which has declared a national emergency following the largest forest fires so far this year.
Education Minister Omar Véliz said at a press conference on Monday that classes have been suspended in the departments of Beni, Pando and Santa Cruz, in the east of the country and bordering Brazil, which are the most affected by the fires. Students will receive their classes virtually.
On Saturday, the government of President Luis Arce declared a national health emergency due to the dense smoke that has even reached western regions such as La Paz, which are far from the fires.
Meanwhile, due to poor visibility at several airports, flight delays have been reported since the weekend and flights have been cancelled in some of the most affected cities, the airport administration reported.
Brazil sent a contingent of 60 forest firefighters. “We are also expecting a group of firefighters from Chile and Venezuela,” said the deputy minister of Civil Defense, Juan Carlos Calvimontes.
According to the Ministry of the Environment, some 3.8 million hectares have been consumed by fire, of which 60% are grasslands and 40% forests.
The eastern region of Santa Cruz, the country’s economic engine, is the hardest hit, with fires affecting protected areas for two months.
Meanwhile, in areas far from the fires, such as La Paz and its neighbour El Alto, smoke has covered the iconic snow-capped mountain, Illimani.
In Photos | Authorities battle forest fires in Bolivia
More than one million hectares have been consumed by forest fires that have been affecting the state of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, for days.
In recent days, strong winds and drought have worsened the problem. The country’s three most populated cities – Santa Cruz, La Paz and Cochabamba – had poor air quality due to the smoke.
The blazes have burned livestock and wildlife and forced the evacuation of small communities and farms. Several of the fires started in the Brazilian Amazon, according to authorities.
In Bolivia, according to the government, 90% of fires are caused by uncontrolled burning, as many farmers and peasants choose this method to renew pastures and create new farmland.
Experts and authorities have predicted that if the fire cannot be controlled, the devastating fires of 2019 could exceed the five million hectares consumed.
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