More than 340 municipalities under red alert for forest fires driven by El Nino, compounding crisis for emergency services responding to massive earthquake. Emergency response agencies in Colombia are facing an unprecedented multi-front crisis as dozens of active wildfires spread rapidly, compounding recovery efforts following a 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck earlier this week. A total of 344 municipalities have been placed under a red alert for wildfire threats, a staggering 93% single-day surge driven by severe heat and dry conditions, according to the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM). The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management on Friday reported dozens of active conflagrations… The surge in wildfires has severely strained emergency crews already deployed at maximum capacity following the Aug. 10 quake. …Complicating the response, national risk management agencies are also monitoring heightened activity at the Purace volcano in the southern department of Cauca, forcing authorities to simultaneously manage multiple major natural hazards.