Some fires contained but still raging; Wildfires cause unhealthy air quality in Cuenca; Ecuador, US sign safety agreement

As wildfires continue to rage in the provinces of Azuay, Loja and Cotopaxi, firefighters are slowly gaining control thanks to air support, the country’s Risk Management Office said. “We are making progress in containing the Quilanga and San Fernando is shooting, but we continue our fight with others,” the office said in a statement Sunday.

Azuay Governor Santiago Malo reported Sunday morning that “water drops around the clock” from helicopters had brought the fire in San Fernando under control. “The work of aerial crews filling Bambi buckets from local lagoons was essential to this progress, as the steep terrain made access difficult for firefighters on the ground.”

A firefighting helicopter retrieves water from a lake near San Fernando.

Malo added: “We have established a perimeter around the fires and believe they can now be extinguished within two to three days.”

According to Malo, the fires in San Fernando and other areas in Oña and Nabon have destroyed more than 1,000 hectares of vegetation.

Progress was also reported on the country’s largest fire, near Quilanga in Loja province. “Firefighting aircraft and personnel from Peru have given us a head start in fighting the fire and we have set up containment,” Risk Management said. On Friday, Peru sent 150 firefighters and seven helicopters across the border into Loja province to assist Ecuadorian teams.

The Quilanga fire has burned more than 5,000 hectares, destroyed 15 homes and killed an estimated 20,000 domestic and wild animals, according to Risk Management. At least 100 firefighters were injured fighting the blaze, two seriously.

On Sunday, 100 firefighters from Quito joined the battle against a large fire near Sigchos, in Cotopaxi province. Risk Management said it would provide an update on progress on Monday.

Fires cause unhealthy air quality
Cuenca suffered from poor air quality for the third day in a row on Sunday, and officials do not expect conditions to improve until at least Tuesday. At 9 p.m. on Sunday night, the air quality monitoring center at the University of Azuay recorded a reading of 156 particulate matter (PM2.5), which is considered “unhealthy” (dañina). By 6 a.m. on Monday, the reading had dropped to 132, in the “less healthy” (poco saludable) category.

According to the National Meteorological Institute (INAMHI), the pollution is the result of forest fires in southern Ecuador and in the Brazilian Amazon. “These conditions are not only affecting Ecuador, but a large part of the Amazon region due to fires in eastern Brazil,” INAMHI said in a bulletin.

The air quality index is divided into six categories, ranging from ‘good’ to ‘extremely hazardous’. Measurements of 300 to 500 fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pose the greatest risk to human health.

Director of the Air Quality Center at the University of Azuay, Chester Sellers, advises people with health conditions such as asthma, lung disease and heart problems to limit their outdoor activities until pollution levels subside. He recommends wearing a face mask if air quality worsens.

US, Ecuador sign security agreement
U.S. Southern Command Gen. Laura Richardson said Friday she expects a “significant” drop in crime in Ecuador following the signing of a security accord between the two countries. The agreement was reached during the South American Security Summit in Santiago, Chile.

“Ecuador has shown a real interest in combating national and transnational organized crime and their efforts have yielded impressive results to date,” Richardson said at the signing. “We are pleased to provide assistance in the ongoing fight, as it benefits both countries.”

According to Admiral Jaime Patricio Vela, who signed the agreement for Ecuador, the pact will provide additional military support in the fight against international drug cartels. “This will in particular strengthen our surveillance of overseas drug trafficking routes, which in turn will reduce crime in our port cities.”