Almost 1,900 hectares
, mostly of native species, is what has already been consumed by the fierce
fire in the Los Alerces National Park
, in the province of Chubut.
While they point out that it was intentional and investigate a former brigade member who claims to be Mapuche, work continues against the clock to control the igneous sources.
This Tuesday morning,
more than 200 agents
were sent to the area , along with three helicopters and two water hydrant planes that were collaborating with the operation.
According to the latest report issued by National Parks, the fire that began last Thursday night in the midst of an unusual heat wave in Patagonia in the area of the Centinela stream, near Rosales Bay on Lake Futalafquen,
remains active. and it has already affected 1,893 hectares.
The brigade members are working with hand tools and water equipment with air support in
unfavorable conditions marked by wind and heat.
For this Tuesday, a rise in temperature was expected, with a maximum of 25 degrees in the area and winds from the western sector with greater intensities in the afternoon, of 20 to 30 kilometers per hour.
To counteract the advance of the fire, the command in charge of fighting the fire decided
to divide the affected area into six sectors
, due to its extension.
In the first hours today, a greater number of personnel available for the operation were deployed: 131 Forest Fire brigades, with a total of 230 agents working in the containment system.
They will also have the support of three helicopters, two hydrant planes, road machinery and hot spot observation drones.
The focus is located in the high mountain area, far from Route 71, which these days is heavily traveled by tourists visiting the lake area, in a paradisiacal environment that today is
covered in smoke.
Likewise, municipal sources indicated that the towns of
Esquel and Trevelin are not, so far, being affected by the fire.
The focus is located in the high mountain area, far from Route 71. Photo: AFP
The Undersecretary of Civil Protection and Risk Management of Chubut, Eduardo Pérez, acknowledged that "it would be of great help if it rained so that the fire, which is very active, could reduce its intensity, because experience shows that,
if nature does not act, it is very difficult to overcome a fire of these characteristics
.
The governor of Río Negro,
Alberto Weretilneck
, promised to send help to fight the fire in the far north of the province of Chubut.
He arranged the human resources and equipment of the Rio Negro Forest Fire Prevention and Fighting Service (Splif) to fight the fire, as reported on his official account on the social network X.
All the solidarity of the Province of Río Negro with our neighbors in Chubut.
@NachoTorresCH we make resources available to provide assistance and collaborate to fight the fires in Los Alerces National Park through our Fire Service brigade members…
— Alberto Weretilneck (@Weretilneck) January 28, 2024
The coordinator of the Rio Negro Splif, Marcelo Rey, told Télam that in Bariloche and El Bolsón there are about 180 people, 70% of whom are brigade members, plus technicians, tanker trucks and fast attack vans.
Meanwhile, the Minister of the Interior, Guillermo Francos, together with the Secretary of the Interior Lisandro Catalán and the Undersecretary of the Environment, Ana Lamas, met with representatives of National Parks and the National Fire Management Service (SNMF) to monitor the fire, reported the portfolio.
They added that in the next few hours, 46 brigade members belonging to the Provincial Plan of Córdoba are expected to arrive in the area and in this way, on Wednesday about 250 brigade members from various jurisdictions will be working on the ground.
They look for those responsible and point to a former brigadier
For the mayor of Los Alerces, Danilo Hernández Otaño,
the fire was intentional
and it is a practice that has been repeated in every season since 2015.
"The intention is clear because it did not occur during an electrical storm, nor due to an electric arc in areas close to high voltage lines, nor due to a poorly extinguished stove in areas of tourist use, nor in spaces subject to human intervention where could have been burning forest remains resulting from pruning or silvicultural management," he explained.
The same position was expressed by the presidential spokesperson, Manuel Adorni, for whom if the fire in the Los Alerces National Park "ends up leading to an investigation that indicates that it was intentional, those responsible will have to be behind bars or extradited, if applicable." ".
Along the same lines, the governor of Chubut, Ignacio Torres, who flew over the fire area this weekend, warned that "those responsible for starting the fire will have to respond to justice and to all Chubut residents."
Torres appeared in court to denounce Cruz Cárdenas, as responsible for the flames that hit the Cordillera.
He is a former National Parks employee, who was a brigadier and has knowledge of fire management.
Cruz Cárdenas, suspected of starting the fires in Los Alerces National Park.
Cárdenas has already accumulated several charges for fires and this Monday, the governor was present with evidence at the Guido Otranto federal court to ask him to be charged again, now for the flames that are growing in the South.
The province, then, constituted itself as a plaintiff.
D.D.