Ecuador's government declared a 60-day national emergency due to raging forest fires made worse by a severe drought, risk management officials said on Monday. The South American country faces 13 active wildfires and another nine that have been controlled,

The 60-day state of national emergency comes as the country has struggled to take control over a series of wildfires taking place in several provinces

Ecuador on Monday declared a national emergency due to water shortages, drought and forest fires that have razed more than 10,000 hectares in the south of the country so far this month.