Colombia, Ecuador to cooperate on wildfire management

Colombia and Ecuador have strengthened cross-border cooperation on wildfire prevention, preparedness and response following a three-day binational exchange on integrated fire management in Bogotá.

The Ecuador-Colombia Binational Exchange on Integrated Management of Forest Fires and Interface Fires was led by the National Fire Department of Colombia and brought together authorities, technical experts and institutions from both countries.

The event was designed to share knowledge, operational experience and best practices for managing vegetation fires, including incidents that threaten communities at the wildland-urban interface.

Participating organizations included Ecuador’s National Risk Management Secretariat, the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology of Ecuador, Colombia’s Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, the Regional Autonomous Corporation of Cundinamarca, National Natural Parks of Colombia, the Official Fire Department of Bogotá, the Regional Disaster Assistance Program and the National Fire Department of Colombia.

Discussions focused on integrated fire management, early detection technologies, institutional coordination, community participation, protection of strategic areas and the strengthening of operational capacity. The organizations also examined how climate change, monitoring systems, governance and ecosystem conservation are shaping the region’s approach to wildfire risk.

The exchange concluded with progress on a Binational Ecuador-Colombia Roadmap intended to improve technical coordination and support joint action on wildfire prevention, monitoring and response. Colombia’s National Fire Department said the initiative reinforces its commitment to international cooperation and shared learning as countries work to protect lives, ecosystems and communities from escalating wildfire threats.