The fire does not give truce in Argentine Patagonia. Since the beginning of January, a series of large forest fires devastated more than 15,000 hectares of forests, grasslands and rural areas in different areas of the south of the country, especially in the province of Chubut and nearby mountain regions. The images and videos circulating show columns of smoke that darken the sky, entire mountains consumed by flames and a landscape transformed into ashes.
One of the main outbreaks began in the Puerto Patriada area, near Epuyén, and expanded rapidly due to extreme weather conditions: prolonged drought, high temperatures and strong winds that favored the spread of the fire and made containment tasks difficult. As the days went by, the fire advanced towards areas of high environmental value, putting fragile ecosystems and natural reserves in the Andean Patagonian region at risk.
The impact on the population was immediate. Thousands of people had to be evacuated as a preventive measure, including residents of rural areas and tourists who were in the region. Several homes, cabins and productive structures were destroyed or severely damaged by the advance of the flames, leaving entire families without their belongings and deepening the social emergency.
Hundreds of brigade members, volunteer firefighters, security personnel and specialized teams work in the fight against the fire, supported by aerial means that operate in complex conditions. The lack of rain and constant changes in wind direction force us to redouble efforts and permanently rethink containment strategies.
