The government of **Bolivia** declared a **national emergency** on Wednesday due to the advance of **forest fires** that threaten to spread across various regions of the country.
According to **Deputy Minister of Civil Defense Juan Carlos Calvimontes**, there were **720 hotspots** recorded:
– **549 in Santa Cruz**
– **140 in Beni**, an Amazonian region to the north
– **15 in Potosí**, in the south of the Andean nation
The measure aims to **mobilize national resources** and **activate international support** to address the fires.
## Recurrent fires and alarming figures
**The critical season** repeats between August and September, with devastating precedents.
Although the first hotspots were reported in **July**, the most intense stage usually occurs between **August and September**.
In **2024**, Bolivia had already declared an emergency due to fires that affected **9.8 million hectares**, according to official figures. **Fundación Tierra**, on the other hand, estimated the damage at **12.6 million hectares**, the **highest record in the country’s history**.
 *There is concern about the fires in Bolivia. Photo by AP*
## Agricultural practices and legal processes
**Burning stubble fields** remains a structural cause of the problem.
In Bolivia, it is common for farmers to **burn grasslands** to renew soils or enable **new cultivation areas**.
However, these practices **often get out of control**, leading to large fires. Calvimontes reported that **60 legal proceedings** related to these actions have been initiated.
## Threatened protected areas: Tunari and Noel Kempff Mercado
Currently, there are **eight active fires**, seven of them in **Cochabamba**, with particular concern about the one affecting the **Tunari Forest Reserve**.
Another critical focus is located in the **Noel Kempff Mercado National Park** in **Santa Cruz**, declared a **UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site**, where firefighting brigades have been combating the fire since **August 6**.
## Institutional call and international support
The **Agro-Environmental Court** formally requested the **declaration of a national emergency** with the aim of **accessing international cooperation** and preventing a new **ecocide**. Its president, **Richard Cristhian Méndez**, emphasized the need to act swiftly.
At the same time, the **Special Rapporteur on Economic, Social, Cultural, and Environmental Rights (REDESCA)** of the **IACHR** warned in July about a **growing trend of forest fires in Bolivia** over the past two decades, with severe impacts on **ecosystems, territories, and local communities**.
## Recommendations for comprehensive fire management
REDESCA urged the Bolivian State to implement a **National Comprehensive Fire Management Plan** that integrates:
– Scientific knowledge
– Traditional wisdom
– Preventive and ecosystem approaches
– Community and intercultural participation
This type of strategy would allow to **address structural causes**, **reduce future risks**, and **strengthen territorial resilience** against extreme events.
*Cover photo: El Día de Bolivia*
