Forest fires that have engulfed Bogota in smoke over the past week have been intensified by highly flammable foreign plant species invading Colombia’s capital, experts say.
Eucalyptus, pine, and gorse cover the Andean mountain range bordering the east of Bogota, where four wildfires have broken out in the past week.
These trees and shrubs contain oils and saps that are extremely flammable and “help maintain the fire for hours and even days,” said biologist Arnold Garcia Samaca of the National University of Colombia.
Additionally, fire aids these invasive species in reproduction, allowing them to “take over larger areas, displacing native vegetation,” he added.
Amid hot, dry conditions linked to the weather phenomenon El Niño, fires have devastated more than 17,000 hectares across Colombia over the past three months, authorities report.
Reference(s):
Invasive vegetation adds more fuel to Bogota fires in Colombia
cgtn.com
