Raging Wildfire in Quito Amid Historic Drought

A devastating wildfire engulfed Quito, Ecuador's capital, filling the city with smoke and jeopardizing homes. Authorities are struggling to control the fire, exacerbated by a historic drought depleting resources. President Daniel Noboa and the armed forces are actively involved, while residents and firefighters work to control the blaze.

A raging wildfire filled Ecuador's capital of Quito with smoke and threatened homes on Tuesday as authorities rushed to control the blaze during a historic drought that has stretched resources and patience. President Daniel Noboa announced that the armed forces were deployed to fight the fire, which ignited around midday in the bohemian Guapulo neighborhood and gradually spread to nearby residences and forested areas.

Some tearful residents worked desperately to put out flames, according to a Reuters witness. "We couldn't rescue anything. We just arrived, we didn't know what to do ... I don't know why this is happening to us," said Guapulo resident Rosana Cepeda.

No deaths or serious injuries have been reported. Quito's firefighting force said its contingents were fully deployed and that its units would continue battling fires through the night.

"The fire will not end in the next few hours. It will surely continue into the night," Mayor Pabel Munoz told the press, adding that lowering nighttime temperatures should aid efforts to control the blaze. Ecuador's worst drought in over 60 years has plunged the hydropower-dependent country into an energy crisis, rendering hydroelectric dams offline due to diminished reservoirs.

The country's energy minister announced nationwide 12-hour power cuts on Monday and indicated that the dry season had started two months early. However, power cuts scheduled for Tuesday were suspended for the coverage area of Electrica Quito, the capital city's electric utility, the company said on social media.

(With inputs from agencies.)