Machu Picchu, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, is threatened by forest fires.
On Thursday, Peruvian firefighters were working to contain a forest fire near the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu as fires threatened to approach the ancient city of Machu Picchu in the Incas high up in the Andes.
The fire engulfed about half the area of The Vatican City.
The cause of the fire was that farmers burned grass and straw on Tuesday in preparation for sowing new crops.
Nearby Cusco city mayor said about 20 hectares had been affected by the fire as of Wednesday.
Firefighters have been putting out the fire for two days and the forest fires cannot be controlled because the area is very difficult to access," said Roberto Abarca, director of the Cusco Risk Management and Safety Office.
Machu Picchu is a stone complex perched on a hill, built more than 500 years ago by the Incas, whose Inca Empire controlled a large area of South America from present-day southern Ecuador to central Chile.
These breathtaking ruins make the surrounding Cusco region a top tourist destination in Peru and is considered one of the Seven New Wonders of the World.
