A massive wildfire continued to burn on Monday above the historic Colombian town of Villa de Leyva, with strong winds hampering efforts to contain the flames as authorities investigated mounting indications that the fire may have been deliberately started.
The blaze, which began on Saturday afternoon near the cusp of the San Marcos mountain, has affected almost 300 hectares of vegetation and spread towards populated areas and the surrounding mountains. The latest official reports put the fire at approximately 50% controlled, although several active fronts remain and changing winds could reignite areas already treated by firefighters.
The emergency has brought together more than 400 people, including firefighters, Civil Defence personnel, police officers, residents and volunteers. Four helicopters have also been deployed in the aerial operation, carrying out about 170 water drops over the affected areas.
The Colombian Air Force which deployed a UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter, has carried out approximately 35 water drops on the most active areas. According to Brigadier General John López, commander of the Military Air Transport Command, the aircraft released about 53,000 litres of water, or roughly 14,000 gallons, in an effort to reduce the intensity of the flames and prevent the fire from advancing into other sectors.
The aerial operation forms part of a broader response involving military aircraft, firefighters from Bogotá and Tunja, the Boyacá emergency services and hundreds of local volunteers.
Fire reaches edge of colonial Villa de Leyva
The fire has been particularly threatening because of the proximity of San Marcos to Villa de Leyva’s historic centre, one of Colombia’s best-preserved colonial landscapes with its emblematic Virgen del Rosario church.
The town, known for its large cobbled Plaza Mayor, whitewashed colonial buildings and surrounding Andean countryside, is one of the country’s principal tourist destinations. Smoke and flames have been visible from the town itself as the fire has moved across the hillsides above the settlement.
Some homes and hotels have been evacuated, while authorities have urged residents and visitors to remain away from the fire lines and to follow instructions issued by emergency agencies.
Classes were suspended across the municipality on Monday, September 21, and tourism and recreational activities in areas affected by the emergency were cancelled. The municipal coliseum has been designated as an alternative medical and emergency assistance centre.
Police commander Colonel James Totena urged residents to follow evacuation orders when issued.
“When we tell them they have to evacuate, think first about life and personal safety and then about material possessions,” Totena said, stressing that police would remain deployed to protect evacuated properties.
Authorities investigate possible arson attack
The cause of the fire has become a central part of the investigation.
Boyacá Governor Carlos Amaya said Monday that residents had reported circumstances that, in their view, did not resemble a naturally developing wildfire. He said witnesses described an unusually intense initial flare-up and reported seeing activity at different points on the hillside.
Amaya also said firefighters had reported what they considered suspicious behaviour while fighting the flames, including people in other locations who appeared to be intensifying rather than extinguishing fires.
The governor has stopped short of presenting those accounts as proof of arson, but the authorities are investigating the possibility that the fire was deliberately started.
The Boyacá government has offered a reward of up to 45 million pesos for information that helps establish the origin of the fire and identify those responsible. The information, officials said, will be handled confidentially.
Environment Minister Fabio Arjona has also said that preliminary information indicates the fire may have been deliberately caused, while stressing that authorities are carrying out the necessary verification.
Hotel owners appeals for help
Among the most distressing consequences of the fire has been the destruction suffered by residents and businesses on the outskirts of the town.
Hotel owners have appeared in videos circulating on social media attempting to fight the flames alongside neighbours and visiting tourists. On Sunday morning, authorities evacuated the Hotel and Convention Center Duruelo as smoke engulfed the property. Tourists could be seen scurrying down the long ramparts to reach the safety of the large open areas.
Government mobilises as fire is only partly controlled
The national government has pledged to deploy the resources necessary to contain the emergency. President Abelardo De La Espriella said late Saturday that Villa de Leyva was “not alone” and that state resources would be mobilised to protect the town and its residents.
Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara has been overseeing the national response, while Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán sent firefighters from the capital to reinforce crews already working in Villa de Leyva and surrounding areas.
The latest operation includes approximately 207 firefighters and Civil Defence rescuers on the ground, together with roughly 200 residents and volunteers supporting different fronts of the emergency.
The four helicopters involved in the aerial response have made approximately 170 water drops, releasing an estimated 240,000 litres of water over the affected areas.
Despite the scale of the operation, strong winds remain a major obstacle. Authorities have warned that gusts could reactivate apparently contained areas and create new fronts.
Villa de Leyva declared a state of public calamity as the scale of the wildfire became clear, allowing authorities to coordinate additional resources and emergency measures.
The fire began on the afternoon of Saturday, September 19, and rapidly developed into a major emergency as flames moved across the San Marcos hillside.
By Monday morning, the fire had affected between approximately 290 and 300 hectares, depending on the latest operational assessment, with around half of the fire considered controlled.
The emergency has also affected wildlife, prompting police carabineros and specialised personnel to search for animals caught in the fire.
The crisis comes only days after Villa de Leyva hosted the Festival de las Ideas, which brought hundreds of politicians, academics, journalists and civil-society figures to the historic town.
It has also placed renewed attention on the town’s vulnerability to wildfire, particularly as dry vegetation and strong winds allow flames to spread rapidly through the surrounding hills.
For now, the municipality must attend to the immediate task of protecting lives, homes, businesses and the surrounding landscape. The strong seasonal winds that make Villa de Leyva a favorite destination for kiteflyers are fanning a disaster three-hours north of the Colombian capital. Disaster that also threatens an agricultural heartland known for its flower farms, tomato orchards and vineyards.
