Overview
- The government reported on Monday that 385 wildfires were recorded nationwide from January through October 2026, and authorities say those blazes caused five deaths between July and October.
- An urban fire in Cercado de Moquegua that began in a plastics shop killed a seven‑year‑old, destroyed one home, damaged seven others and left the child’s family without shelter or belongings.
- In Cusco, FAP aircraft including a Spartan plane and an MI17 helicopter with a helibucket were deployed to fight a blaze in Calca that consumed about 200 hectares but could not be fully controlled because of high temperatures and fuel‑rich grassland.
- Local responders and residents reported operational gaps such as delayed firefighter arrival, a lack of hydrants in urban areas, incomplete incident registration in SINPAD and hospital referral or bed shortages for badly burned patients in Puno.
- Officials warn the July–November fire season may worsen under drought and El Niño conditions and say most fires are started by human burning, prompting plans to send more aerial water buckets and reinforcements while calling for stricter local prevention and coordination.