The massive forest fires that hit the Argentine Patagonia since the end of last December do not give truce and already razed more than 25,000 hectares in the provinces of Neuquén, Chubut and Río Negro, local media reported Friday.
The fire affects national parks and various locations that had to be evacuated before the danger of the flames. In an area of the Nahuel Huapi National Park, located between Neuquén and Río Negro, El Fuego, originated at the end of last December, already consumed 10,300 hectares in the face of the efforts of 230 rescuers and volunteers to turn it off.
💔 One of the prettiest areas of Nahuel Huapi National Park in Bariloche is set on fire for a poorly off stove
If you come to the south do not make fire 🔥 pic.twitter.com/pe74na3td9
– Nico Wolf 🧉🧪 (@wolfnicolas_) February 6, 2024
Turn a tourist paradise
For its part, El Bolsón, one of the most visited tourist places in South Argentino, is going through moments of desolation for the voracious active fire for a week that has destroyed 3,000 hectares so far. The natural disaster has left a deceased person of 80 years, caused the death of animals and destroyed more than 100 homes.
Far from calming themselves, the flames got out of control and advanced dangerously towards the urban center of the Rionegrina town, so the authorities issued new evacuation orders for an area that includes 700 homes. “Everything is burning, we are in total chaos,” said Mayor Bruno Pogliano. “I am destroyed. Very, very ugly,” he emphasized.
The situation was aggravated by a sum of climatic factors: temperatures of up to 29 degrees and a change in the wind that blew from the west between 42 and 50 km/h, with bursts of up to 87 km/h. “The head of the fire is stopped and the aerial media will begin operating this Saturday if the weather allows it,” said the authorities.
A fire caused?
While investigating the origin of the incident, the authorities arrested three people accused of having caused the fires. One of them, a 31 -year -old man, was caught by neighbors on February 5, when he was driving along a path in the drowned Mallín place, one of the most affected areas, with a bottle that contained a blue, apparently flammable liquid.
Some maintain the hypothesis that intentional burns are caused by entrepreneurs in the area with the aim of advancing in the purchase of these lands, for tourist or extractive purposes.
This is on the way between Wharton and the confluence, in El Bolsón.
Clear intentional fire spotlights.
The settlers are desperate seeing how their place is destroyed in the world. pic.twitter.com/xehrsobezv– Emilse Pizarro (@emipizarro) February 5, 2025
