Civil Defense Vice Minister Hernan Tuco said: “Representatives of Bolivian government are negotiating with Argentina, joint efforts to put out a fire on a ridge in the southern department of Tarija, near the border area.
Tuco explained that “the fire started a week ago and was caused by producers who performed an ancient practice called ‘chaqueo’, consisting of controlled burning on agricultural land and forest each spring to clean and extend their areas of cultivation.
Bolivia’s government did not submit official figures on the damage caused by fires, although local media reported that “400 families were affected by the fire in the forest reserve located in the farmland area .”
