Forest fire breaks out in Bolivia

Three central and northern Bolivia departments are suffering from forest fires over the past week. The fires are said to have been the worst in a decade for the landlocked South American country.

A total of 40 forest fires have been registered by the government in the departments of Santa Cruz, Cochabamba and Beni. A total of 8,000 square kilometres (3,00 square miles) of land have been affected, according to the government.

The fires are taking a toll on local life. Flights have been suspended in Beni. Several natural parks have seen their land overtaken by the fires, including the Tunari National Park in Cochabamba.

The government's ministry of environment and water has organised flights to assess damage and target focal points.

Climate conditions are making matters worse, local officials say.

"This wind you are seeing today has helped bring back the fires and spread it to more regions," the governor of Cochabamba, Ivan Canelas, told local media.

In addition, drought is being pointed to as having facilitated the spreading of the fires.