Wildfires in Patagonia reignite, destroying over 35,000 hectares

Wildfires in the Argentine Patagonia have intensified again, with at least three hotspots reactivating in the Los Alerces National Park, in Chubut province. Three fires reignited on Sunday due to high temperatures and gusty winds. On Monday, fires surrounded the town of Cholila, in western Chubut. More than 35,000 hectares have already been destroyed in the province.  According to Los Alerces Park Fire Control Committee coordinator Laura Mirantes, the situation now puts the city of Esquel a famous ski center with nearly 40,000 residents   at risk.  We have fires at the two ends, Mirantes confirmed to the news TV channel TN. She said over 500 workers, including firefighters, fire management personnel, and volunteers, are deployed at various critical points in the area. The situation is getting complicated because of the change in the winds and new, secondary hotspots appearing, Mirantes added. The fires are high up, and the winds pick up embers that ignite other areas. This prevents us from anticipating [further fires] and forces us to work backwards. Visibility in the region has also been compromised, hampering firefighting operations and the safe movement of emergency resources. The Chubut Highway Authority confirmed that the Provincial Route No. 71 section connecting National Route 40 with Cholila remains completely closed to all traffic due to the advancing fire and for safety reasons. The rainfall on Monday morning amounted to just 3 millimeters, an amount insufficient to improve the situation, according to specialists. The lack of rain is unlikely to change, as a sharp rise in temperature is expected towards the end of the week, increasing the risk of the fire spreading. Fires have been ravaging Chubut since the start of the month. At least 3,000 tourists had to be evacuated from several forest areas near the Andes mountains since January 8.