As active member of the National Risk Management System, the Colombian Aerospace Force, participated in the Unified Command Post – National PMU, convened in the crisis room of the National Risk Management Unit UNGRD in Bogotá, where all the agencies and institutions of the national and governmental order, are working for the nation in the emergency.
The UNGRD presented a report on the effects of the El Niño Phenomenon throughout the country, from January 01 to 25, 2024, where it is evident that 19 forest fires are still active and 13 have already been controlled. The most exposed departments are Cundinamarca, Antioquia, Boyacá, Valle, Magdalena, Cesar and the capital city of the Republic.
The Colombian Aerospace Force, directed by Brigadier General Juan Jaime Martínez, Commander of Air and Space Operations, reported on the operations since the Institution has been conducting in four regions of the country, where Colombian Aerospace Force aircraft have flown 46:37 hours, conducting 257 water drops with 97.176 gallons of water and 162.8 gallons of retardant liquid.
He emphasized that the Institution has been carrying out the protocols to work to increase the safety of firefighting operations, because the flight of drones has been detected in the vicinity of the conflagrations, putting in high risk not only the crews and aircraft, but also to personnel on the ground who work tirelessly in the mitigation of the flames.
It was in the same way informed that, since Wednesday, January 24, the Commander of the Colombian Aerospace Force activated the System of Cooperation with the United States Air Forces- SICOFAA, to which several countries have expressed their interest in helping Colombia and soon, a special system will arrive in Bogota to support the control of the flames from the air.
Source: Press - Colombian Aerospace Force
