Peru: Wildfires affect Amazonian region of Madre de Dios

M/S Rainforest burning in the Iberia district, Amazonian department of Madre de Dios
W/S Regional Governor of Madre de Dios observing fire
W/S Rainforest burning
W/S Regional Governor of Madre de Dios observing fire
SOT, Luis Hidalgo, regional governor of Madre de Dios (Spanish): "We are not prepared, really and unfortunately I have to say that we are not prepared because we do not have the human personnel, not even equipment to fight forest fires”
W/S Rainforest burning
SOT, Luis Hidalgo, regional governor of Madre de Dios (Spanish): "This makes you think because look at that devastating fire in the area of Brazil and Bolivia, we don't want to think that this could spread and happen here in our region."
W/S Rainforest burning
SCRIPT
The Peruvian Amazon has been affected by wildfires as seen in images filmed in the district of Iberia in the early hours of Saturday. The blaze has broken out as infernos continue to devastate areas of the Brazilian jungle.
The fire in Peru has consumed 2,700 hectares of the Amazonian department of Madre de Dios, according to regional governor Luis Hidalgo, who has asked the Peruvian government to declare the blaze an environmental emergency.
"We are not prepared, really and unfortunately I have to say that we are not prepared because we do not have human personnel or even equipment to fight wildfires," said Hidalgo, who fears that the fire will spread and gain virulence.
"This makes us reflect because look at the devastating fire that is taking place in the area of Brazil and Bolivia. We don't want to think that this could spread and happen here in our region," added the regional governor.
According to data from Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research, 73,000 wildfires have been detected across the Amazon basin this year, an 83 percent increase on last year and the highest number since records began.