The fire started on November 12, and it has not been controlled so far despite the actions taken by firefighters, soldiers and brigade members.

That area of the country around the city of Cuenca, the capital of Azuay province, has been affected by an extreme hydrological drought, which has already surpassed historical records.

In that area, there is no access by vehicle, so they have used helicopters to try to put out the fire that is advancing rapidly and is more visible from the city of Cuenca, where the 29th Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government is taking place on Friday.

Cajas National Park is of great environmental importance for Ecuador, as it is home to 786 lagoons and is the habitat of a wide variety of animal and plant species.

The Secretariat for Risk Management reported that there is another active forest fire in the province of El Oro.

Meanwhile, the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (INAMHI) warned about an increase in temperatures and strong winds, conditions that are promoting forest fires in the mountains and the coast this week.

jg/rgh/avr