Fire near Machu Picchu road kills one and injures two

A fire broke out on Friday in the Sacred Valley of the Cusco region, close to the primary road leading to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. The blaze, which quickly intensified because of hot, windy weather and dry plant life, originated from a controlled bush-burning practice employed by local farmers. Authorities reported that the flames reached the main access route, an area that also serves the Ollantaytambo train station, the most frequented stop for tourists heading to the UNESCO World Heritage site.

Miguel Osco, who leads the Cusco Regional Office for Disaster Management and Safety, confirmed that the incident resulted in the death of an elderly person and caused second-degree burns to two additional individuals. Machu Picchu, situated at 2,500 meters in the Andes and attracting roughly three million visitors annually, was temporarily threatened by the fire.