Articles

ETAPA just graduated 350 community forest brigaders trained to defend the páramos and watersheds that supply every drop of Cuenca's tap water. After last year's fires scorched thousands of hectares, this volunteer army could be the difference between clean water and crisis.

For years, the 35 rangers protecting Parque Nacional Cajas and Cuenca's critical watersheds fought wildfires with inadequate gear. ETAPA just changed that with a $215,000 equipment delivery — helmets, fire suits, chainsaws, and portable pumps. After 11,000 hectares burned in 2024, it was overdue.

The government revoked Loma Larga's environmental license and the vice minister of mines resigned, but opposition groups say the mining concession itself hasn't been canceled. Here's where things stand.

Heavy weekend rains caused a stream to overflow in Ucubamba, flooding more than a dozen homes and forcing evacuations. INAMHI warns intense rainfall will continue through February 5.

After a tense week of declining water levels that raised concerns about a repeat of 2024's drought, rainfall has restored the Tomebamba, Yanuncay, Tarqui, and Machángara rivers to normal flow.