Last week, the Bolivian government declared a national disaster situation due to drought and fires that are spreading through several regions in the country according to this Spanish language article. All five departments are now affected by fire, with Santa Cruz particularly hard hit.
“In Madidi National Park, the fire got out of control and the locals warn that the fire is active in an inaccessible place to fight it, so they ask for help to prevent the fire from reaching nearby communities .
“The fire approached the population, homes, fields, water sources and productive areas. Brigades were made, we put out several fire points but on Friday everything got worse, "said a resident of the natural reserve.
The fire started in zone “A” of Madidi, within the municipality of Apolo, in the north of the department of La Paz.
“We require tools and water pumps to attack the fire by land; but we need you to support us by pouring water from the air. We can only wait for the fire to reach these flat sectors, ”said the villager.”