The main forest fire in Argentine Patagonia has already consumed more than 5,500 hectares as of this Saturday (10). Hundreds of firefighters and volunteer residents are working to contain the flames that leave small communities on high alert.
The fire surrounded the town of Epuyén, a village of just over 2,000 people, situated between a glacial lake and hills covered in native forests. Around 15 families were evacuated from the site and more than 10 houses were destroyed.
The governor of the province, Ignacio Torres, declared on the social network X that, due to the adverse weather conditions predicted for the weekend, the “next 48 hours will be vital” to contain the fire.
The operation involves almost 500 people, including firefighters, rescue teams, security forces and support staff. Over the weekend, reinforcement aircraft and more firefighters are expected from the province of Córdoba and Chile.
