Paute Fire Burned About Five Hectares as Wind and Drought Complicate Response
Cuenca Expat Staff
A forest fire in Paute is a useful reminder that the dry, windy season can turn a small burn into a bigger problem quickly.
El Mercurio reports that firefighters from Paute and Cuenca were working to control a forest fire in Tuzhpo, in the parish of San Cristobal, canton Paute.
According to the report, the fire started on Sunday afternoon and had consumed around five hectares by Monday.
Why It Was Hard To Control
Edison Currillo, chief of the Cuerpo de Bomberos de Cuenca, told El Mercurio that wind and drought conditions had not allowed crews to extinguish the fire.
The report says about 15 people and two tanker trucks were working in the area on Monday.
Local versions cited by El Mercurio said the fire may have been caused by irresponsible burning in an agricultural area.
Practical Reminder
Authorities asked people to avoid burning pasture because, under the current conditions, fire spreads immediately.
For Cuenca-area residents with land, workers or weekend plans in rural Azuay, that is the useful part: this is the season to be careful with anything that can start a brush fire.
Source: El Mercurio
