Fire burning on road to Peru’s Machu Picchu

LIMA, Peru (AFP) — A fire is burning near the main access road to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, with one person killed and two injured, Peruvian officials said Saturday.

The blaze broke out Friday in the Sacred Valley of the Cusco region, which includes the train station most often used to reach Machu Picchu.

One older man died in the fire and two other people suffered burns, Miguel Osco of the regional disaster management agency told RPP radio.

"We are very close to Machu Picchu," Gustavo Lozano, who lives in the area, told RPP. "Tourism buses pass by maybe a few hundred meters away, not far from the fire."

The fire has spread quickly because the weather is hot and windy and the vegetation is dry, according to Osco.

He said it started because of farmers burning brush to clear the land for crops.

Machu Picchu, the Inca empire's ancient capital, was built in the 15th century at an altitude of 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) on orders from the Inca ruler Pachacutec.

It is considered a marvel of architecture and engineering.