Wildfires flare again in Argentina’s Patagonia, burning more than 30,000 hectares

Описание: (27 Jan 2026)
RESTRICTIONS SUMMARY:

++PART MUTE++
++NIGHT SHOTS++

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cholila, Argentina - 26 January 2026
1. Aerial of wildfire engulfing the forest at night ++MUTE++
2. Aerial of several fires, flames and smoke rising ++MUTE++
3. Fire consuming forest at night
4. Volunteers shooting water to contain the fires
5. Fire consuming a tree
6. Roots and vegetation being consumed by fire
7. Firefighter battling flames
8. Men working to solve a malfunction in a water bomb machine
9. Firefighters preparing equipment against the backdrop of glowing fire
10. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Laura Mirantes, Coordinator for the COE (emergency operations comitee) from the province of Chubut:
"Within this context, what is the village (of Cholila), both ends are active, with active hotspots and smoke columns.The first fire we had reported as contained at 85% until two days ago, which was in Puerto Patriada, it has now been reactivated. In other words, it has returned to phase one, which is active."
11. Flames rising above trees, consuming them
12. Firefighters and authorities observing the advancing wildfire, as a plane flies nearby
13. Smoke rising from wildfires near Cholila
14. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Laura Mirantes, Coordinator for the COE (emergency operations comitee) from the province of Chubut:
"There is a reality, that in our Patagonia, we have wind rotation every few hours. We are checking precisely with the satellite information that we receive every 75 minutes, every 90 minutes. Today, we are expecting a rotation that could reach gusts of 50 kilometers per hour. This means that the operational part on the ground often cannot be continuous. This is a fire that surprises us all and is affecting us minute by minute."
15. Aerial of smoke billowing from wildfires
16. Aerial of firefighting plane flying over dense smoke and spilling water
17. Aerial of smoke and flames rising from forest fires
STORYLINE:
Around 500 firefighters have been deployed to Argentina’s southern province of Chubut to battle renewed flare-ups of wildfires that have burned over 30,000 hectares of forest since December.

Federal authorities said new blazes have spread across several Andean communities, fueled by extreme heat, drought linked to scarce winter snowfall, and sudden shifts in wind conditions.

No human casualties have been reported so far.

The Federal Emergency Agency said about 330 specialists were sent to combat fires in Los Alerces National Park, one of the worst-hit areas.

The fire began in early December after a lightning strike and has already damaged about 10,000 hectares, according to national authorities. Last week, the National Parks Administration intervened in the park’s management after criticism from provincial officials and local groups over how the emergency was handled.

Another 170 firefighters are working to contain flames in Puerto Patriada, near the Chilean border, where fires that broke out in early January have scorched roughly 22,300 hectares.

Investigators confirmed the presence of flammable gases at the ignition point of the blaze. At the time the fire started, more than 3,000 tourists were staying in campgrounds and lodging facilities in the area.

Authorities also reported several additional fire hotspots elsewhere in the province of Chubut, near the town of Cholila, most of which are now under control.

While no deaths have been reported, the fires destroyed homes, sheds, machinery and productive farmland, and caused damage to livestock, water reservoirs and native forests.

AP video shot by Cristian Kovadloff



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