- Title: Firefighters in race against time to extinguish fires in Bolivia
- Date: 25th August 2019
- Summary: ROBORE, BOLIVIA (AUGUST 25, 2019) (REUTERS) TROOPS SECURING WATER BASKET HELICOPTER ABOUT TO TAKE OFF HELICOPTER TAKING OFF AERIAL VIEWS OF SMOKE-FILLED FOREST SMOKE IN FOREST
- Embargoed: 8th September 2019 22:26
- Keywords: fire fighters Bolivia wildfires San Lorenzo Robore
- Location: SAN LORENZO / ROBORE, BOLIVIA
- City: SAN LORENZO / ROBORE, BOLIVIA
- Country: Bolivia
- Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Fires,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA004ATPV5TZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Firefighters battled wildfires raging through Bolivia's Robore region and the town of San Lorenzo on Sunday (August 25) that have engulfed rural villages and doubled in size since Thursday (August 22).
Bolivian President Evo Morales on Sunday said he was now open to international aid to fight the blazes that have burned unabated across vast swaths of hilly tropical forest and Savannah near Bolivia's border with Paraguay and Brazil. At least 1 million hectares, or approximately 3,800 square miles, have been impacted by the fires, officials said.
Video filmed by firefighter David Nina showed crews extinguishing fire in bushland, and walking through burnt out forest areas. In another video filmed by evangelical church volunteer David Ortiz, volunteers are seen helping people in a town and residents fleeing from impending danger.
Bolivia late last week contracted a Boeing 747 "Supertanker" from the United States to help with the fire-fighting, and has mobilised more than 2,000 firefighters, as well as small aircraft and helicopters. But the area affected by wildfire has nonetheless nearly doubled since Thursday.
Thousands of wildfires are also decimating the neighbouring Brazilian Amazon, the world's largest rainforest. The blazes have nearly doubled this year compared with the same period in 2018, prompting global outrage.
(Production: Monica Machicao) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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