Death toll from fires in Peru rises to 20; fires still active in 46 locations

( Spanish) – The death toll from the fires in Peru has risen to 20, the head of the National Institute of Civil Defense (Indeci), Juan Carlos Urcariegui, said Saturday in an interview with local radio station RPP.

As of Monday, 16 deaths had been recorded, Indeci reported at the time.

So far this season, Peru has recorded a total of 361 fires, of which 291 have already been extinguished, Urcariegui said on Saturday.

Of the remaining fires, 24 are under control and 46 are still active, the official said.

Faced with this situation, the President of Peru, Dina Boluarte, announced that the Government has decided to declare a state of emergency in the departments of Amazonas, San Martín and Ucayali. The measure seeks to expedite actions to contain the fires and avoid risks to the population.