2024-09-20 06:49:31
The National Risk Management Unit indicated that Colombia has a historical debt with the Firefighters, since the Military Forces have always been financed, and these rescuers have not been taken into account, and they hope to dedicate more resources in the future, so that each municipality in the country has a decent emergency group.
In addition, it was learned that the Colombian Air Force had three helicopters, the National Police two aircraft, and the Army has provided support by air and land. However, some leaders complained about the slow response capacity of the National Government in terms of air support.
A message of tranquility
In this regard, Isabel Hernández, director of the Office for Disaster Risk Management of Huila, said: “Fortunately today (yesterday), we have a calmer outlook in the Department, after eight days of hard work extinguishing fires in vegetation cover. Now we have as a special point of attention the forest fire in the rural area of the municipality of Aipe, we have seven areas under control.”
“We can say that we have had all the capabilities of the National Government, especially the air support and without a doubt the leadership of the Departmental Administration, headed by the governor, Rodrigo Villalba, to bring more than 14 Fire Departments to the department of Huila, and the amount of resources through the Police, Army and other institutions to our region,” added the official.
In this sense, it is the Mayors’ Offices who are the first to respond to this type of emergency.
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Focus of attention
The administrator indicated that “it is a special day, because the fires in the municipalities of Campoalegre and Palermo have already been technically controlled, and that is why all possibilities are open for air support to be concentrated in Aipe, which although it is on fire, has not gone out of control and we hope to extinguish it with all the forces we have.”
In addition, it was learned that in the areas where the fire has been extinguished, there are still firefighters monitoring the ‘foci’ to extinguish them completely and thus prevent them from gaining strength again.
For his part, Rodrigo Villalba, governor of Huila, said that the Colombian Air Force had three helicopters, the National Police had two aircraft, and the Army had provided support by air and land.
“We want officials to express our optimism regarding the technical conditions and existing and future capabilities to put an end to this episode that has left us all in a state of emergency,” the president said.
Mayor Luis Ángel Ramírez added: “You have to walk for about an hour to get to the site where the fire occurred. It is now located at the top. The fear is that it will spread and affect more farmers. We are very sad about the loss of wildlife and the loss of improved pastures for ranchers.”
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Complex conflagrations
In turn, Carlos Carrillo, director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, said: “It is important to share with the public the current situation in Huila. There have been a series of complex fires, which have of course caused concern among citizens, but I would like to highlight and really congratulate the members of the emergency system.”
The official added that today, 12 years after the creation of the National Risk Management System in the country, it can be said that these capabilities are increasingly structural, “that they work, and from the UNGRD, we indicate that the coordination of our crisis room gives results, I want to thank the Air Force, Police, Army. This has been possible and we can give a report of peace of mind, this problem is currently under control.”
They have already flown over the municipality of Aipe, “it is an area of difficult access, and we see that the situation is under control. The situation in Palermo has already been largely extinguished, and now we have to continue acting in the departments of Tolima, Cauca and Nariño. It is our duty as the National Unit for Risk Management, to accompany all Colombians,” added Carlos Carrillo.
As for the lack of fire units, the official said: “The call is for mayors and governors to participate more in strengthening emergency systems. Colombia undoubtedly has a history with the fire sector, we have spent decades ‘nurturing’ the capabilities of the Military Forces, and now that we are living in a time of not yet absolute peace, we hope to be able to make a greater fiscal effort, so that all the municipalities of the country, hopefully one day, will have a properly equipped fire department.”
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High temperatures
According to the director, the temperature in the department of Huila has changed significantly and has reached high levels, “here in Neiva the maximum temperature was 37 degrees Celsius, now in Aipe, it is between 40 and 42 degrees Celsius.”
And to top it all off, the official said, there is a lack of rain and strong winds, which allows for a calm panorama during the day, but at night, due to the winds, the fires are reactivated.
“We have a large number of people in the affected areas, the community of these localities has also joined in, the Mayor of Bogotá has helped us, a Brigade of Volunteer Firefighters from the department of Caquetá arrived, however the high temperatures and dry vegetation have made these fires very difficult to control,” revealed the official.
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Devastated hectares to be recovered
According to the latest report from the Risk Management Office, there are six fires, four of which are active and two are under control. There is one in the municipalities of Aipe, Neiva and Agrado, three in each, and Teruel, each with one fire.
In the marble capital, the forest fires began on September 7 of this year, where 13,295 hectares were lost, and the affected areas were: Sardinata, Nazareth, Papagayo, Buena Vista, Alto Betania, Cerro del Indio Estacado site, Villa Juncal, Chontaduro, Betania.
And in the municipality of Aipe, 2,800 hectares were consumed by the flames, affecting the villages of El Pata, Callejón and the El Rincón sector. There are three active fires in Neiva, and the fire was reactivated in the village of La Mojarra, near the town of Fortalecillas and in Agrado, the ignition is underground, and there is one active in the village of La Floresta in Teruel.