Cuenca Fires Burned More Than 200,000 Square Meters Over the Holiday

Cuenca recorded at least 15 forest fires during the August 10 holiday period, according to a report from the Cuerpo de Bomberos de Cuenca cited by El Mercurio. The fires affected more than 200,000 square meters of the city’s green areas.

The report describes the damage as spread across rural and peripheral parts of the canton. Areas named include Victoria del Portete, Chocarsí Alto, Zhiquir de Llacao, El Salado de Sinincay, and Patapamba de Turi. The report also mentions fire activity in the Cuenca–Molleturo corridor.

The largest reported impacts

The figures cited by the newspaper include:

• 80,000 square meters in Corralpamba, Victoria del Portete
• 70,000 square meters in El Salado de Sinincay
• 50,000 square meters in Corralpamba, Victoria del Portete
• 40,000 square meters in Patapamba de Turi–El Verde
• 17,000 square meters in Chocarsí Alto
• 15,000 square meters near the church of Victoria del Portete

The report lists several other affected areas, including Zhiquir de Llacao and the Cuenca–Molleturo route, with smaller or unquantified areas of damage.

What residents are being asked to do

The fire department is asking the public to avoid burning vegetation in rural areas. The warning is practical: the incidents consumed emergency resources, damaged natural areas, affected animals, and put communities and firefighters at risk.

For people living near Cuenca’s rural edges, the story is a reminder to treat dry vegetation and outdoor burning as a real seasonal hazard. The report does not announce a citywide restriction, so residents should follow the latest instructions from the fire department and local authorities before clearing land or disposing of vegetation.

Source: El Mercurio