Fire in Roboré: evacuation is being prepared, charred animals are reported | Incendio en Roboré: alistan evacuación de población, reportan animales carbonizados

By Paulo Lizarraga, Vision 360:

A closed road

Fire in Roboré does not relent: evacuation of vulnerable population is being prepared and charred animals are reported

The fire continues to affect the communities of San Lorenzo Nuevo, San Lorenzo Viejo, and El Naranjo. This is due to the strong winds recorded during the day.

Un tramo de la carretera afectada por el incendio en las comunidades de Roboré. Foto: Unitel

A section of the road affected by the fire in the Roboré communities. Photo: Unitel

Forest fires continue to affect communities in the municipality of Roboré, in the department of Santa Cruz. The smoke and spread of the fire are putting the locals in a tight spot. Evacuating children and the elderly to safer areas is not ruled out.

Meanwhile, the government stated that the Joint Command for Response to Adverse Events (CCREA) of the Armed Forces (FFAA) extinguished at least 20 forest fires, 16 of which were in the department of Santa Cruz.

“In the case of Santa Cruz, 16 fires were extinguished, and 973 forest firefighters were mobilized,” reported the Vice Minister of Civil Defense, Juan Carlos Calvimontes, at a press conference.

During the operations, two fire trucks were deployed in the affected municipality. In aerial operations, the Army’s Z9 helicopter, which performed 27 water drops with a total capacity of 22,740 liters of water, was mobilized.

Trains with cargo stranded

The fires in Roboré caused two trains loaded with soy and gasoline to be unable to continue their journey due to the fire. Meanwhile, another locomotive is working to mitigate the fire to move forward.

According to a train driver, there are two loads, one of soy and another of fuel, that are stranded, waiting for the approaching fire to be contained.

“We have a supervisor who goes with the locomotive extinguishing the fire, and we have to wait. We are carrying soy (to Puerto Suárez). On the other side (to Santa Cruz de la Sierra), a train with gasoline is coming, and that is dangerous. It is stopped in El Naranjo,” said the train driver.

Charred animals

The relentless fires in the region have begun to wipe out the flora and fauna of the affected municipality. Charred animals were found, having tried to escape and lying on the bioceanic highway.

The fire continues to affect the communities of San Lorenzo Nuevo, San Lorenzo Viejo, and El Naranjo. The fire advances due to the strong winds recorded throughout the day in several areas.

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