Inferno Rages Near Lake Titicaca’s Famous Floating Islands

A huge wall of flames raced across the reed beds near Lake Titicaca’s famous Uros floating islands, sending a towering glowing cloud of smoke into the night sky.

X user Movimiento Ecologista del Perú shared the video on October 21, filmed from the city of Puno. A line of fire stretches along the lakeshore as the smoke plume turns orange above the water.

The blaze broke out on October 20 in the Uros Chulluni and Chimú sectors of Puno and flared up again on Wednesday afternoon, Peru’s civil defense institute INDECI said. The Peruvian Navy sent the lake patrol boat LP Ramis with firefighting equipment, working alongside the city government and volunteer firefighters.

Rain helped put the fire out at around 8:50 p.m. on Wednesday. About 200 hectares (around 494 acres) of dry reeds and natural grassland were destroyed. No one was hurt, and the cause is under investigation.