15 dead in wildfires continuing in Peru since July
According to initial reports, 15 people have lost their lives and more than 3 thousand hectares of cultivated agricultural land and natural areas have burned in forest fires that have been ongoing in various regions of Peru since July. Authorities have issued a call for national and international assistance to bring the fires under control, while detailed investigations into the extent of the environmental and economic damage in the region are ongoing.
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According to a statement from Peru Civil Defense officials, due to the fires, 15 people have lost their lives since July, with 10 of those deaths occurring in the last two weeks.
Officials stated that 98 people have been injured due to the fires, 334 head of livestock have perished, and at least 3 thousand hectares of cultivated agricultural land and natural areas have been reduced to ash. Noting that some of the fires are located in Amazon regions that make intervention difficult, officials recorded that clouds, smoke, and winds are hindering aerial intervention in the fires.
RESULT OF HUMAN ACTIONS
In a statement to members of the press, Peruvian Prime Minister Gustavo Adrianzen stated that the fires began as a "result of human actions" and said that 22 of the country's 24 regions have been affected by these fires.
Romina Liza, an expert from the Peruvian National Forest and Wildlife Service (SERFOR), also argued that climate change has an impact on the intensification of the fires, stating, "Strong winds and prolonged droughts dry out the vegetation, turning it into highly flammable fuel. This leads to the fire area expanding more rapidly."