Bolivian President Evo Morales went astray for nearly an hour in the jungle as he accompanied firefighters fighting a forest fire.

"We had a little adventure last night, we were lost for almost an hour, but thanks to the soldiers, we were able to find our way back," the president told reporters in Robore (east).

The TV channel Uno broadcast a short amateur video in which Evo Morales repeats, exclaiming in the middle of the night: "Where are you? Where are you?"

1.2 million hectares burned by fires

The president, who had joined a team of forest firefighters, had strayed into the forest of Caballo Muerto village, in the municipality of San Ignacio de Velasco, in the department of Santa Cruz (east). Evo Morales told Robore on Thursday that there were 342 fires in the area, twice the day before.

Bolivia's President Evo Morales joined firefighters in Santa Rosa on Tuesday, August 27, to help crews put out wildfires, as the country struggles to contain blazes across Bolivia. (Reuters) pic.twitter.com/GDxgcHRQRk

- The Voice of America (@VOANews) August 28, 2019

The forest fires that intensified in August have devastated 1.2 million hectares in Bolivia since May in the Chiquitanía and Pantanal regions.