A wildfire burning on the outskirts of Villa de Leyva, one of Colombia’s leading tourist destinations, has forced evacuations and put a colonial town at the centre of a wider national emergency driven by drought and record temperatures. The fire, which began on Saturday afternoon on San Marcos hill, has burned close to 290 hectares and was roughly 50% contained in Monday’s official incident report.
The blaze started in a wooded area known as La Marmolera, near the Andean town in the Boyaca department. Strong winds and steep ground helped drive an unusually rapid elliptical spread, complicating efforts to contain it.
More than 400 responders, including firefighters, soldiers, civil defence workers and volunteers, were fighting the fire by Monday. The response had grown from roughly 200 personnel on the ground. Four aircraft were also deployed, including an Air Force Black Hawk helicopter that released close to 14,000 gallons over critical points.
Authorities evacuated residents and hotel guests from the municipality’s northeastern sector. In-person classes were suspended for Monday, while the town’s coliseum was opened to receive evacuees and responders. The mayor’s office declared a public calamity.
Villa de Leyva is known for its colonial architecture and cobblestone streets, and attracts more than a million tourists each year. The brief did not provide an assessment of damage to heritage sites, tourism infrastructure or other property, and authorities have not given a timeline for full containment.
The fire has unfolded during a broader crisis across the country. Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, known as UNGRD, reported 18 active wildfires nationwide in its latest official data.
This year’s fires have been fuelled by a severe El Niño weather pattern. El Niño has brought a significant reduction in rainfall across the northern part of South America, producing severe drought conditions. Record high temperatures and the lack of moisture have left large areas of Andean vegetation highly combustible.
Environment Minister Fabio Arjona said preliminary information from the national disaster-risk agency indicated that the Villa de Leyva fire may have been deliberately set. The Attorney General’s Office and judicial police have taken charge of an inquiry into possible arson.
The basis for the preliminary suspicion has not been made public. There were no details of suspects, arrests or the precise cause of ignition. Colombian law provides for roughly two-and-a-half to 15 years in prison for setting fires that endanger forests or ecologically significant land.
President Abelardo de la Espriella said the state would commit its resources to the response. Posting on X, he wrote: “We will deploy all state resources to fight this fire and protect its inhabitants, its heritage, and its natural wealth.”
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