In the hillside neighborhoods of Quito, Ecuador's capital, a wildfire crisis has crossed the threshold from environmental event to human emergency. As September's dry season strips the surrounding forests of moisture, flames have advanced close enough to residential areas that professional firefighters alone cannot hold the line — and so ordinary residents have stepped forward to fight alongside them. It is an ancient and recurring story: when institutions reach their limits, communities reach inward for what remains.
Residents Join Firefighters Battling Forest Fires Near Quito Homes
Residential areas are threatened by forest fires, with residents evacuating or at risk of displacement.