several fires were unleashed this Sunday, January 15, throughout the country: the largest were in Santa Lucia, Cannelloniand on Route 14, in Flowers.
The first of them is the “most important” that was registered today, reported the spokesman for the Fire Department, Simón Burlón, to The Observer. The fire started at kilometer 86 of Route 11, but advanced in the direction of Route 46, according to Underlined.
The fire affects a native forest area where there are homes, farms and sheds of private companies. Firefighters, police officers and residents of the area are working together to prevent the flames from spreading.
Also, according to the Highway Police added, this fire source had to cut off Route 11 (from kilometer 89 to 96) and the intersection of that route with 81 because the smoke affects visibility.
⚠️ ATTENTION CUT ROUTE ⚠️
?Fire Focus?
cnes. – St. Lucia? Route 11 – km 89 to 96
?Intersection Route 11 and Route 81Smoke affects visibility, route closed?
Respect the instructions of the staff ???
they work on site @DNdeBomberosUy pic.twitter.com/7OT2fUQoJ8— National Highway Police Directorate (@DNPCaminera) January 15, 2023
On the other hand, the one in Flores is on both sides of Route 14, almost on the edge of the border with Durazno. Members of the National Fire Department (DNB), residents and police officers also work there, as well as Army and UPM company personnelreported Telemundo.
According to Burlón, of the six regions that the country has, this Sunday they registered “at least two or three fires in each one”.
From the DNB they had already warned that, if they persist the drought that has been going on for weeksthere could be a “record number” of interventions.
In this sense, the Uruguayan Institute of Meteorology (Inumet) issued a notice last Friday alerting that, throughout this week and until Thursday the 20th, temperatures would increase and, with them, the risk of fires. “The situation is critical and we have a fire risk index running that indicates that the entire country is in red, at high risk of fire,” the technical manager of the organism, Yamandu Moran.
