Patagonia Wildfire Rages Out of Control, Scorching More Than 5,500 Hectares in Chubut

Overview

• Roughly 3,000 tourists from Puerto Patriada and 15 families near Epuyén have been evacuated as the fire advances.
• More than 10 homes have been destroyed, with small Andean communities placed on high alert.
• The Public Prosecutor's Office concluded the ignition was intentional using accelerants, and Governor Ignacio Torres announced a reward for information.
• Nearly 500 responders are deployed with helicopters and airtankers, with additional crews and aircraft expected from Córdoba and Chile.
• Severe drought, high temperatures and strong winds are intensifying the fire, as separate blazes also burn in Neuquén, Río Negro and Santa Cruz.