MACHU PICCHU THREATENED BY WILDFIRE
Peru’s famous Machu Picchu ruins were
threatened by a forest fire.
With the Incan ruins being located so
remotely, the firefighters struggled to contain the fire.
The fire managed to engulf an area about half
the size of the Vatican City. It’s believed the fire was started by local farmers
burning grass and debris to prepare to sow new crops.
CNN reports that Machu Picchu, a complex of
stone structures sitting atop a mountain, was built more than 500 years ago by
the Incas, whose empire controlled large swaths of South America from what is
today southern Ecuador to central Chile.
The ruins are located in the Cusco region of
the country and have been declared one of the new seven wonders of the world.
It’s Peru’s top tourist destination.
At this stage, it’s not clear whether the
farmers will be charged with starting the fire.
Image credit: Good News Network