Lima:
Peruvian firefighters battled Thursday to contain a wildfire near the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu, as the fire threatened to approach the ancient city high in the Andes mountains.
The fire, which had engulfed an area about half the size of Vatican City, was set on Tuesday by farmers who burned grass and debris to prepare to sow new crops.
About 20 hectares (49 acres) were affected by the fire on Wednesday, the mayor of the nearby city of Cusco said.
Machu Picchu, a complex of stone structures atop a mountain, was built more than 500 years ago by the Incas, whose empires controlled large parts of South America, from what is now southern Ecuador to central Chile.
The remoteness of the fire hampered the efforts of the fire service.
“We have been fighting the forest fire for two days and have not been able to get it under control as the area is quite inaccessible,” said Roberto Abarca, director of Cusco’s risk management and security agency.
The breathtaking ruins, which have made the surrounding Cusco region Peru’s top tourist destination, are considered one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
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