At least 14 fires have been recorded in Antioquia during the December season and the first days of January, caused by fuse balloons loaded with gunpowdera practice that keeps authorities on alert
Colombia News.
Department authorities warn that the Aburrá Valley and the East of Antioquia They concentrate the largest number of emergencies caused by gunpowder balloons, whose unpredictable routes have generated forest and structural fires in several municipalities.
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The risk management authorities in Antioquia raised the alarms due to the increase in fires caused by gunpowder wick balloonsa practice that has intensified during the holiday season and the first days of January. The preliminary balance indicates that at least 14 emergencies have been registered in different municipalities of the department, a figure that shows that the problem is increasing.
Gunpowder balloons: a growing threat in Antioquia
According to the reports delivered by the Municipal Risk Management Councils to the Government of Antioquia, the fires caused by balloons are not isolated events. In the last month, these artifacts have generated forest fires, structural fires and crop damageputting homes, businesses, ecosystems and human lives at risk.
The situation is even more worrying because some of these balloons are being loaded with gunpowderwhich exponentially increases their destructive capacity and turns them into completely uncontrollable elements. Unpredictable trajectories and lit fuses
The Metropolitan Area of the Aburrá Valley warned that wick balloons represent a permanent risk of fire, since their trajectory can extend for several kilometers and depends on factors such as the direction and strength of the wind.
. Added to this is that the fuse remains lit until the balloon falls, increasing the probability that it will start flames when it comes into contact with roofs, wooded areas or rural areas.
Valle de Aburrá and Oriente, the areas with the most cases
According to the Administrative Department for Risk Management of Antioquia (Dagran), the Aburrá Valley is the subregion most affected by this type of emergency, followed by Eastern Antioquia. Municipalities such as Envigado, Rionegro, Sabaneta, Bello, Itagüí, La Estrella and Copacabana are among the territories with recent reports.
In Envigado alone, five fires caused by balloons have been recorded, while three were reported in Rionegro and two in Sabaneta. In other municipalities, although the official figures are lower, the authorities warn that there is under-registrationsince not all incidents are reported at the departmental level.
Homes, businesses and natural areas affected
The documented cases show that the main effects have occurred in homes, residential complexes, commercial premises and protected natural areas. In several municipalities, gunpowder balloons have fallen on roofs, playgrounds and green areas, causing fires that, in some cases, were on the verge of becoming tragedies.
#Video Although many expected that the fires caused by wick balloons would end with the end of December, a new incident was reported in @AlcaldiaItaguiAntioch. A gigantic balloon fell on the roof of a social hall and caused damage. #BluMornings pic.twitter.com/vzZLqY7hCD
— Blu Antioquia (@BLUAntioquia) January 5, 2026
