Forest Fires Ravage Multiple Colombian Departments Amid Extreme Weather

Colombia is facing a surge of forest fires across five departments, with 21 active conflagrations reported as of August 27, 2026, according to the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (Ungrd). The department of Tolima has been the hardest hit, recording eleven active cases. In Tolima, the Prosecutor General's Office has ordered seven mayoralties to guarantee emergency services due to a lack of necessary firefighter agreements. Meanwhile, the Fiscalía General de la Nación has ordered two men to prison for allegedly causing a fire in Dolores, Tolima, which destroyed six hectares of vegetation.

In Cundinamarca, firefighters responded to 16 fires in a single day, affecting approximately 285.5 hectares. The largest single incident occurred in Tolemaida, where 250 hectares were impacted. Another significant fire in Villeta has affected over 50 hectares of native forest and crops including coffee, sugarcane, and plantains. Governor Jorge Emilio Rey reported that Cundinamarca has seen 244 forest fires across 50 municipalities throughout August, totaling nearly 1,874 affected hectares.

Authorities attribute the severity of the fires to high temperatures and low rainfall caused by the El Niño phenomenon. However, the Ungrd noted that most incidents result from human negligence. While center right sources emphasize the legal consequences for arson and the need for government resource allocation, center left coverage focuses more heavily on the specific environmental damage and the logistical details of the firefighting efforts in Cundinamarca.