Colombia declares emergency over forest fires, seeks international help

Colombia had declared a state of emergency and is appealing for international help as it battles dozens of forest fires burning vast swathes of the country, Colombia President said on Thursday.

The fires have covered the capital Bogota in a blanket of smoke, prompting the scrapping of in-person classes in the worst affected areas and the delay or cancellation of dozens of flights from the El Dorado international airport due to poor visibility. Schools and a university are in the worst affected areas and hundreds of firefighters and volunteers battled flames on the mountains around Bogota for a fourth consecutive day.