Authorities Order Hotel Evacuations As Forest Fire Advances Toward Villa De Leyva, Colombia

Fire threatens Villa de Leyva

A massive wildfire in central Colombia threatened the tourist town of Villa de Leyva in the Boyaca department, with flames engulfing the San Marcos hillside above the colonial architecture and cobblestone streets. Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella posted on X that “Villa de Leyva is not alone”, pledging to mobilise all state resources to fight the fire and protect “this historical jewel” and “beautiful city that is the pride of Colombia”. Colombian authorities said the blaze had already consumed 40 hectares of native forest, sending massive plumes of smoke visible from the town’s central square.

The Boyaca department government said it is dispatching two aircraft, and Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara said a military helicopter would also join the effort, along with firefighters from the capital, Bogota. The emergency unfolded as Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) reported 18 active wildfires across the country, with officials linking the crisis to a severe El Nino weather pattern and record high temperatures.

Reporting for this sectionAl Jazeera

Aerial response and evacuations

As the fire advanced on the hills of Villa de Leyva, Análisis Urbano said it already affected about 70 hectares of vegetation and reported that more than 200 people were involved in response efforts.

The acting mayor of Villa de Leyva, Nicolás Méndez Figueroa, told Análisis Urbano that the La Castellana area, one of the points of greatest concern due to its proximity to housing and the urban center, managed to be contained.

El Colombiano reported that the wildfire emergency that began around 4:00 p.m. Saturday continued on Sunday and forced measures to protect residents and visitors, including the evacuation of some hotels located in the affected areas.

Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara said, “There is good news. The fire’s speed has decreased,” and he reported that by 9:00 a.m. authorities expected to reach 350 people on the ground fighting the fire.

El Colombiano also said helicopters announced by the national government began dropping water on points where the fire remained active, while smoke still remained visible and hotspots persisted as crews worked to prevent the flames from spreading further.

Reporting for this sectionAnálisis UrbanoEl Colombiano

Tourism, heritage, and risk

El País said the fire consumed at least 80 hectares of native vegetation very close to the historic center of the Boyacá municipality, located three hours from Bogotá, and it described the blaze as the largest in the country among the 18 active fires. The same report said the fire started on San Marcos hill and that the Environment Ministry said it could have been arson, while the Interior Minister said the fire took on an elliptical shape that increases its speed. El País reported that by Sunday morning a half marathon was scheduled with more than 3,000 runners registered and that the race was canceled, while travelers were leaving hotels heavily affected by smoke invading the town center.

NTN24 said the President of the Republic, Abelardo de la Espriella, confirmed the absolute commitment of the Public Force and state institutions to protect “the infrastructure, the historical heritage, and the local natural reserve,” as the Unified Command Post (PMU) was established and manifest urgency declared due to red alert. In the early hours, El País reported that dozens of volunteers with pickaxes, shovels, and machetes joined professionals to form a line several meters from the fire and cut vegetation to stop the fire’s advance, as the town’s emblematic Hotel El Duruelo was threatened and later served as an emergency operations center.

Reporting for this sectionEL PAÍSNTN24