Ecuador has declared a 60-day state of emergency due to severe drought conditions and record wildfires affecting the country. The declaration, announced by the Ecuadorian Secretariat for Risk Management (SNGR), aims to mobilize additional resources to combat the ongoing crisis.
Environment Minister Ines Manzano stated that the emergency status will facilitate the release of funds and personnel to address the wildfires, particularly in the southern provinces of Azuay and Loja, where 17 active fires are currently being fought. Recent reports indicate that approximately 10,200 hectares (25,204 acres) of land have been impacted by the blazes.
This drought is the worst Ecuador has faced in 60 years, significantly affecting water levels in hydroelectric dams, which supply over 70 percent of the nation’s electricity. As a result, the government has implemented daily power cuts lasting up to 14 hours, urging the population of 17 million to conserve energy.
The Global Wildfire Information System (GWIS) has forecasted an increase in wildfire danger from high to extreme in the affected provinces. Similar wildfire outbreaks have been reported across other South American countries, including Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, attributed to the ongoing drought linked to the El Nino phenomenon and climate change.
NASA has observed smoke plumes from space, indicating the extensive nature of the wildfires, which have also contributed to record low water levels in the Amazon basin.