Fires fuelled by El Nino leave 12 dead in Peru

Forest fires in Peru, fueled by the El Nino weather phenomenon, have resulted in 12 fatalities and displaced hundreds since June, according to authorities. Most of the victims were farmers who perished while attempting to combat the flames, reported the National Emergency Operations Center (COEN). The Cusco region bore the brunt of the disaster, with a fire igniting near the iconic Inca citadel of Machu Picchu earlier this month.

In total, 457 forest fires were documented in Peru from June to October. According to biologist Daniel Valle of the Scientific University of the South in Lima, the fires rapidly spread due to the extreme heat and arid conditions brought about by El Nino.

Valle explained, "We have a massive expanse of hot, dry air covering the entirety of Peru, all thanks to El Nino." The fires, typically ignited by farmers clearing land for cultivation, have ravaged over 1,000 hectares of farmland and obliterated approximately 100 homes. Additionally, 12,000 hectares of natural vegetation have also succumbed to the flames.

As of Wednesday, seven fires continued to burn in the Andes and the Peruvian Amazon, reported the COEN. El Nino, a naturally occurring weather pattern, raises surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, which in turn triggers global shifts in winds, pressure, and rainfall patterns. This year's Super El Nino is anticipated to reach its peak in December, but it is already causing significant damage in various regions, including Central America, where drought has led to animal deaths.