Overview
- Firefighters are battling an interface fire on the slopes of Cerro Pirque in Epuyén’s El Pedregoso area that has burned more than 70 hectares and remains active.
- Authorities report roughly 186 personnel on the operation, with a helibucket helicopter, autobombas and a bulldozer added to strengthen containment lines.
- Gusts ranging from 40 to 80 km/h and low humidity drove rapid spread and secondary ignitions, making control efforts difficult through the day.
- In El Bolsón, an interface fire affecting about 60 hectares was contained and remains under monitoring, with additional smaller outbreaks reported and controlled nearby.
- Chubut and Río Negro maintain emergency fire bans as investigators examine a suspected negligence-related start from hot ash; no injuries were reported, and some residents were evacuated as a precaution while local officials urged the public to keep access routes clear.