At least 3,000 tourists had to be evacuated this week from several forest areas near the Andes mountains in Chubut province, in Patagonia, where fires have been raging since Monday. According to the Argentine branch of Greenpeace, over 4,000 hectares of wild forest and homes have been affected since mid-December in the Patagonia area. In Río Negro, the province north to Chubut, park rangers fined a family of tourists who were cooking a barbecue. Wildfires are currently also affecting that area, south of Chubut, as well as the Los Alerces National Park in Chubut. Budget cutsWhile the problem of wildfires has grown in recent years, President Javier Milei’s “chainsaw” cuts to public spending has meant the number of national park staff has come down.

Source: Bueno Aires Herald January 08, 2026 18:07 UTC