🔥 Argentine Patagonia has been under siege from wildfires since Monday, sparking the evacuation of over 3,000 tourists from the scenic Puerto Patriada lake resort. Helicopters and six water-bombing planes are buzzing overhead, dropping water to douse the flames.
Strong winds, scorching temperatures and severe drought have turned swaths of green forest into an inferno. Hundreds of firefighters are on the ground, backed by aerial support, working around the clock to control the blaze.
Chubut province governor Ignacio Torres confirmed the evacuations and revealed that at least one of the fires was started deliberately. A reward of 50 million pesos (about US$33,000) is now on offer for tips leading to the culprits.
Meanwhile, wildfires are also raging in Neuquen, Santa Cruz, Rio Negro and southern Buenos Aires province. The spread highlights the tough challenge across Argentina as it battles hotter summers and drier landscapes.
Last summer, Patagonia saw nearly 32,000 hectares burned—twice the size of Brussels. Experts warn that climate change is making extreme weather and droughts more common, underscoring the urgent need for global action 🌍.
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3,000 tourists evacuated as Argentine Patagonia battles wildfires
cgtn.com
