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(La Paz) The Bolivian government has declared a state of emergency in the Amazonian provinces of Beni and Pando as fires that have already devoured an estimated 470,000 hectares of forest and pasture land continued to burn out of control.

The blazes began more than two weeks ago near the city of Riberalta, 850 kilometres north of La Paz. At least 600 families and 25 farming communities have lost their homes and crops, but there have been no reported deaths.

Riberalta official Hector Vaca said Thursday that two of the fires in the region remained out of control. Firefighting efforts by over 100 soldiers and locals were hampered by the lack of fire stations in the region.

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The cause of the fire has not yet been determined though farmers often burn forested areas in the dry season to clear them for growing crops. These fires have often got out of control in the past.

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