New fires fill Quito skies with smoke as Quito joins Cuenca with air quality alerts

Four fires that ignited late Tuesday spread rapidly on Wednesday, sending thick smoke over much of Quito. The mayor’s office issued a warning to city residents Wednesday afternoon, advising them to stay indoors due to deteriorating air quality, warning of eye and throat irritation.

Smoke from fires fill the sky over Quito Wednesday.

The fires, in the Chilibulo, Nayón, Pifo and La Merced districts of Quito, burned out of control for most of Wednesday, according to the national Risk Management office, which said 128 firefighters are battling the blazes.

Quito Mayor Pabel Muñoz said the fires were caused by agricultural burns that got out of control and warned farmers in the mountains and valleys surrounding the city that a “no burn order” is in effect.

“These fires could have been avoided if the advisories were followed and we remind agricultural interests that we will apply heavy fines to those who violate the order,” Muñoz said. “We are suffering a drought of historic proportions, and it is the responsibility of everyone, especially farmers, to obey the law.”

Quito joined Cuenca in reporting unhealthy air quality Wednesday as a result of fires, at one point reporting a 188 reading of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), considered “unhealthy.” In Cuenca, an “unhealthy for sensitive groups” reading of 127 PM2.5 was recorded.

By 9 a.m. Thursday, Cuenca’s PM2.5 reading registered 151 and masks were advised for people with respiratory and heart conditions.

The Risk Management office reported Wednesday night that most fires in Azuay and Loja Provinces are contained but that burning continues, producing heavy smoke. “We continue to experience very dry conditions throughout the inter-mountain valley and the fire risk remains very high,” the office said in bulletin. “Daytime humidity readings in Azuay, Loja and Pichincha Provinces are recorded in the low 20s and high teens due to the lack of cloud cover and these conditions are forecast to continue.”

According to the national weather service, rain was forecast on Thursday and Friday for northern areas of the country.