MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina: El Pedregoso area in Chubut under fire

The incident follows a recent declaration of a fire emergency in the provinces of Chubut and Río Negro

A large-scale operation involving nearly 200 personnel is struggling to contain an active forest fire that broke out Monday in the El Pedregoso area, within the jurisdiction of Epuyén, Chubut province. Difficult geography and adverse weather conditions are severely complicating containment efforts.

Chubut's Secretary of Forests Abel Nievas confirmed the fire remains active as of Tuesday, noting that firefighters and support staff —totaling between 140 and 150 on the front lines— were operating in a “very vertical” area.

“The work is being carried out in a 'very vertical' area, with complex geography that requires extreme caution in the construction of control lines,” Nievas explained.

The fire's rapid initial spread was largely attributed to the severe winds accompanying Monday's storm. “What the storm contributed was the wind, which increases the speed of spread. With the slope in that location, it spread very quickly toward the hillsides and the summit of the hill almost immediately,” Nievas added. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.

The fire is burning through a section of native forest composed of cypress, lenga, and coihue trees, never before impacted by fires. Nievas warned that this has led to a “large accumulation of fuel,” which favors “extreme behavior.”

Initial estimates placed the burned area at about 60 hectares, though officials expect it to expand. Relief groups are focusing on preventing the fire from reaching inhabited areas in the valleys below.

“There are several homes in the valley below these hills, both toward Epuyén and toward the cabin area in El Pedregoso,” Nievas confirmed.

Authorities are utilizing both ground crews and aerial support, including a helicopter with a helibucket deployed by the Federal Emergency Agency (AFE) to contain the fire before it endangers human settlements. So far, no damage to homes or structures has been reported, although perimeter fences have been affected.

The incident follows the recent declaration of a fire emergency in the provinces of Chubut and Río Negro.