Colombian Air Force Supports Panama Fighting Landfill Wildfire

The Colombian Air Force (FAC) flew to the Cerro Patacon Landfill in Panama on Sunday, March 18, in response to the country’s request for assistance in combating a wildfire affecting approximately 10 hectares of the dumpsite. A total of 19 specialized Colombian military personnel are operating in the area, utilizing the C-295 aircraft and the Bell-212 helicopter, equipped with two advanced systems, the Caylym Guardian and the Bambi Bucket.

A cutting-edge firefighting system

The Caylym’s Guardian arrived in Colombia for the first time from Peru in January of this year, during the forest fires that the country experienced, in response to the request for international aid. It consists of containers that store 1000 liters of water, are dropped from 500 to 600 feet above the ground, and create a rain effect with great precision, similar to the Bambi Bucket system. However, the last one differs in that it can only discharge 200 liters but can refill at nearby water sources without the need to return to an operational base.

Spread of toxic smoke over the capital

So far in 2024, at least 6 fires have been officially reported on Cerro Patacon through the social media channels of the Panama Fire Department, one of which lasted 10 days and caused a significant environmental pollution cloud due to toxic gases over a large part of Panama City. The Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology of Panama (IMHPA) issued a prevention notice on March 19 on its official platform regarding air quality, explaining that it is currently at reduced levels with moderate rates, and advised caution and special attention for sensitive groups of people.

The specialized Colombian military, with support from the National Aeronaval Service of Panama (SENAN) have released 33,947 liters of water, through the deployment of five containers with the Guardian system and 17 discharges with the Bambi Bucket at various points across the affected hectares. It is expected that, within 48 hours, once their mission has been completed, the Colombian aircraft will return to Bogotá and Malambo, Atlantico.