Forest fires in southern Argentina have devastated over 15,000 hectares (37,000 acres) this week, though rainfall in parts of Patagonia on Sunday provided much-needed relief. The largest fire, burning near the town of Epuyen in the Andes since Monday, has destroyed approximately 11,980 hectares, according to the Chubut provincial fire service. Another fire of unspecified size continues in Los Alerces National Park, while two additional blazes in Chubut and Santa Cruz provinces have burned around 3,800 hectares, the country’s emergency management agency reported.
Over 500 firefighters, rescuers, police officers, and support personnel are actively combating the fires, with local residents assisting on the front lines. The Chubut governor, Ignacio Torres, described the situation as “calmer” on Sunday but stressed that conditions remain critical, urging the public to take climate change seriously amid what he called the province’s worst drought since 1965. A volunteer firefighter near Epuyen is in intensive care with severe burns.
The fires have forced the evacuation of roughly 3,000 tourists and destroyed at least 10 homes. Locals, including horseback tour operator Atilla Missura, expressed relief at the rainfall, hoping conditions will continue to improve. The region previously lost 32,000 hectares to wildfires in early 2025, highlighting the growing impact of extreme weather and climate-driven drought on southern Argentina.
