The mayor of Coello, Tolima, denounced that “criminal hands” were reigniting the forest fires: “We put one out and they start another one.”

Forest fires are causing significant environmental emergencies in the Colombian departments of Tolima and Cundinamarca as of August 2026. In the municipality of Coello, Tolima, Mayor Santiago Herrera has reported that local response capacities have been overwhelmed by a series of recurring fires, which he attributes to intentional human activity rather than natural causes.

Simultaneously, the department of Cundinamarca is experiencing a record-breaking month for fire activity. Official reports from the regional government indicate that 81.7% of the total land area affected by fires in the department throughout 2026 was burned during August alone, prompting intensified firefighting efforts across 49 municipalities.