A forest fire in the Chuymay community of Ayacucho, Peru, has claimed three lives and caused widespread devastation. Terre des Hommes has been working on projects in the region for many years. A total of 165 families have been affected by the disaster.

Fanned by the wind and exacerbated by the ongoing drought, the fire spread rapidly and raged for five days. Houses, orchards, pastures, and both domestic and wild animals fell victim to the flames, as did food supplies and farming tools. The water supply was also affected, as the PVC irrigation pipes could not withstand the fire. Three villages are currently completely cut off from the water supply.

Terre des Hommes has initiated emergency relief measures. The affected families are receiving basic food supplies to meet their needs for three months. Terre des Hommes is also supporting people in repairing their fields and restoring their irrigation systems. The communities currently lack both emergency plans and firefighting equipment. Therefore, as a first step, they are receiving firefighting and preventative training from the fire department to be better prepared for future fires.