UNESCO World Heritage Site in Patagonia Faces Uncontrolled Blaze as Firefighters Battle Elements

Firefighters in Argentina are grappling with a raging wildfire that has spiraled “out of control” within the confines of Los Alerces National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Patagonia. The inferno has already consumed approximately 600 hectares (1500 acres), posing an imminent threat to two neighboring towns. Mario Cardenas, the head of the park’s fire, communications, and emergency department, expressed the severity of the situation, citing challenging conditions marked by unfavorable winds and high temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in the normally cold and windy region of Patagonia during the southern hemisphere summer. The provinces of the region have declared states of emergency due to heightened fire risks until April, adding urgency to the efforts to contain the blaze.

Rescue workers from Chubut province are working tirelessly to prevent the flames from reaching the towns of Esquel and Trevelin, both situated approximately 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles) southwest of Buenos Aires. Los Alerces National Park, renowned for its UNESCO-designated status, showcases glacier-carved landscapes, pristine forests of alerce trees (the second-longest living tree species globally), rivers, and lakes. The ongoing wildfire underscores the pressing need for coordinated firefighting efforts and heightened measures to safeguard the ecological richness of this iconic World Heritage Site.