U.S. Embassy La Paz
Office of Public Affairs
For Immediate Release
August 28, 2019
U.S. Support to Combat Wildfires in Eastern Bolivia
In coordination with Bolivian authorities, the United States is providing personal protective equipment and firefighting tools, and has deployed a team to support response efforts and provide technical expertise to protect lives and control the wildfires in eastern Bolivia. The protective kits for Bolivian firefighters include fire-resistant helmets, gloves, pants, and shirts. Experts from the United States specializing in the areas of international wildfire coordination and tactics, resource mobilization, aerial firefighting, and disaster response have arrived in Bolivia. The team will support their Bolivian counterparts as they work to extinguish the fires, safeguard unaffected terrain, and assess humanitarian needs in affected communities.
The United States salutes the tireless efforts of Bolivian firefighters, military personnel, and citizen volunteers to defend their communities and protect Bolivia’s biodiversity.