Argentine government declares state of emergency over Patagonia wildfires

The Argentine government has declared a state of emergency over the wildfires in Patagonia, which have been blazing in the region since the start of the month. The decision was made official through Decree 73/2026, published in Friday’s Official Gazette. It declared the provinces of Chubut, Río Negro, Neuquén and La Pampa both as under fire emergency and as disaster zones.  The decree puts the Federal Emergency Management Agency (AFE, for its Spanish acronym) in charge of the works to be carried out, which will entail budget changes and additional funding for firefighting. The works will focus on the “prevention, suppression, and fighting of forest and rural fires” as well as mitigation of the consequences that the fires “have caused or may cause in terms of the life, physical integrity, […] and livelihoods of the individuals and families affected.”  AFE will also support and assist affected provincial states and municipalities combating fires and will help in the “subsequent recovery and restoration of the people and productive system.” The declaration of the state of emergency comes after regional governors Ignacio Torres (Chubut), Sergio Ziliotto (La Pampa), Alberto Weretilneck (Río Negro), Rolando Figueroa (Neuquén), and Claudio Vidal (Santa Cruz) held a virtual meeting on Tuesday and demanded that the Milei administration take more immediate actions.  On Thursday, the government issued a series of measures aimed at strengthening the nationwide volunteer fire department system. Chief among them was the transfer of over AR$100,000 million (just over US$68 million) to be distributed among 1,062 volunteer fire departments. On the same day, it was confirmed that over 45,000 hectares of woodland had been scorched by the ongoing fires, as the drought in the area favors their spread, making the situation critical.  The fires first broke out on January 5 but intensified during the last week, with at least three hotspots reactivating in the Los Alerces National Park in Chubut province due to high temperatures and gusty winds. It was all compounded by a drought that hit the region. “The drought is terrible,” firefighter Rubén Oliva told La Nacion+. “There was practically no snowfall in winter, and we don’t have abundant rainfall to help either.” According to Oliva, the fires have encircled the Los Alerces National Park after a new front opened during the recent reignition. The weather has remained uncooperative, with changing winds making the behavior of the flames unpredictable and complicating planning operations.