- Drought reduces Amazon River in Colombia by as much as 90%: report
- Athletics pay emotional farewell to Oakland in last home game before move
- Stay or go? Pacific Islanders face climate's grim choice
- Americans sweep four-balls to grab 5-0 lead at Presidents Cup
- Armenian PM says peace with Azerbaijan 'within reach'
- Israel defies ceasefire calls and vows to keep battling Hezbollah
- 'Stir crazy' McKeown breaks 100m backstroke short-course world record
- Ten-man Spurs cruise in Europa League opener despite Son injury scare
- Iran shows 'willingness' to re-engage on nuclear issue: IAEA chief to AFP
- Somali-Canadian rapper K'naan accused of sexual asault
- Harris slams Ukraine 'surrender' policy as Zelensky visits White House
- Florida bracing for 'unsurvivable' Hurricane Helene
- Teenager seeking to halt Ohtani 50-50 ball auction
- Poverty rises to over 52 percent in Milei's Argentina
- Packers clash awaits for 'late developer' Darnold
- Israel pours cold water on US-backed call for ceasefire with Hezbollah
- US, allies urge pressure on Venezuela's Maduro after disputed vote
- Zelensky meets Biden after US unveils Ukraine military aid surge
- Chloe's see-through look may not be for Kamala Harris
- Champagne houses abuzz over English sparkling wine
- Eric Adams, New York's criminally charged mayor of 'swagger'
- Ten Hag says lack of goals Manchester United's biggest problem
- Macron, Trudeau pledge to work for 'decarbonized' economies
- Emotional Almodovar wins lifetime award at San Sebastian festival
- Putin rachets up nuclear rhetoric, but is he ready to act?
- Former MVP Derrick Rose retires from NBA
- England's Hull out of Pakistan tour
- US urges pressure on Venezuela's Maduro after disputed vote
- US announces new half billion dollars for Syria aid
- Lawson to replace Ricciardo at RB F1 team for rest of season
- New York mayor charged with years of bribery, fraud
- Hurricanes, storms, typhoons... Is September wetter than usual?
- Myanmar junta invites armed groups to stop fighting, start talks
- Kenya set for full Haiti deployment amid call for shift to UN mission
- Argentina change seven of team that beat Springboks for rematch
- China stimulus, tech optimism boost stock markets
- 'Unsurvivable' Hurricane Helene races towards Florida
- Marsh adamant Australia have 'moved on' from Lord's row
- Monet's odes to London's 'beautiful' smog appear in city
- Pakistan braces for 'transitional pain' as IMF approves $7 bn loan
- New York mayor charged with bribery, fraud in bombshell indictment
- Van Gogh painting falls short of expectations in Hong Kong auction
- Potts glad to learn from England great Anderson
- Palestinian leader calls for world to stop sending Israel weapons
- Macron meets Trudeau in Canada as both face political setbacks
- Dyche says Everton takeover should bring 'stability'
- 'The last straw': gang-plagued Ecuador now fighting record fires
- Italy and Britain tied after Louis Vuitton Cup final day one
- Survivor of Mexican mass disappearance fights for truth
- Russia in weapon transfer talks with Yemen's Huthis: US envoy to AFP
Quito fires coming under control after choking capital
Firefighters in Ecuador's capital were battling the remnants of major forest fires on Thursday that had sent massive plumes of smoke above Quito earlier this week, amid a record drought.
Helicopters dumped water to extinguish the flames at two burning sites that remained from about 30 fires, which had devastated 140 hectares of forest on the outskirts of the Andean capital since Tuesday.
"Normality is beginning to be restored in the capital city," Mayor Pabel Munoz told local media, adding that he was confident the remaining fires would be extinguished by Friday morning.
However, he warned there was always the risk of the flames rekindling as hot summer winds in the capital can reach up to 60 kilometers (37 miles) per hour.
The blazes injured six people, including a baby and two firefighters. They also destroyed at least seven homes in the humble neighborhood Bolanos, whose residents scrambled to save their pigs, chickens and sheep.
Authorities said they believed the fires were started by arsonists, and on Wednesday a 19-year-old man was arrested for starting one of the fires after being found with a gallon of fuel.
After declaring a state of emergency in Quito, the mayor is seeking to negotiate loans of $500,000 for the reconstruction of affected properties and the recovery of flora.
"We have lost many trees, a lot of vegetation," said Munoz.
From Ecuador to Brazil, many Latin American nations are gripped by their worst drought in decades, fueling a blistering fire season that has set residents and governments on edge.
The Ecuadoran government is considering a nationwide state of emergency due to its worst drought in six decades which has also devastated crop production.
Due to the dry spell, the country, which depends on hydroelectric power, is facing severe energy shortages and has implemented rolling blackouts.
"The phenomena of climate change are more aggressive and this is what we are experiencing at the moment," Environment Minister Inez Manzano told a local broadcaster.
L.Janezki--BTB