During Tuesday’s day, the first rainfall occurred in the mountain range, after 13 days of fighting the fire that already affected an area of 6,715 hectares, according to the Unified Command of Chubut. The provincial government of Chubut announced a reward of $5 million pesos for anyone who provides accurate information about those people responsible for starting the devastating fire. This Wednesday the Secretary of Tourism, Environment and Sports will arrive in Esquel, Daniel Scioli.
By Patricia Escobar
@argentinaforest
Source and photos: PN Los Alerces, with information from Télam, Económicas Bariloche, Infobae
CHUBUT (7/2/2024).- The forest fire in Los Alerces National Park began on January 25 at night, and then spread within provincial jurisdiction, destroying nearly 7 thousand hectares of native forest at the same time. date..
“The fire remains active with sectors of greater intensity both at the head of the fire and on the flanks and tail with an affected area of approximately 6,715 hectares,” they stated from the Unified Command of Chubut.
During Tuesday’s day, the cooling work continued on the active fronts that stood out for their extreme behavior in recent days, and the firebreaks in critical areas were reviewed, reported the authorities that monitor and plan the fight against the virus in the territory. big fire
Fire suppression actions were reinforced in areas with nearby rural populations, and the maintenance of vehicular access roads was ensured.
“At 2 p.m., at the “Hostería Futalaufquen” observation post, a maximum temperature of 25° C was recorded, with a relative humidity of 40% and winds from the western sector with a maximum intensity of 40 kilometers per hour, a condition that produced new secondary outbreaks,” they detailed.
Adverse weather conditions accelerated the advance of the fire towards the city of Esquel, although authorities clarified that the flames are still far from the community.
The rainfall recorded during the day reached 3 mm and it is expected that the increase in moisture content in the vegetable fuel will slow the spread of the fire and facilitate tasks during the next few hours.
A decrease in temperature is expected for Wednesday morning, with a predicted maximum of 20° C and a minimum relative humidity of 30%. The wind will have an intensity of 40 to 50 kilometers per hour from the western sector, decreasing towards the night.
The general combat strategy combines actions between field personnel and auxiliary resources, such as aircraft and road machinery; while the fleet of drones and the observation plane are used to monitor the situation. The air support established by the National Fire Management Service (SNMF), has the alternating operation of 3 helicopters and 4 airplanes, at the request of the Unified Command.
The enabled tourist services operate normally. They remember again to drive with extreme caution on the section of Provincial Route 71 due to the circulation of emergency vehicles.
The restriction for navigation is maintained in the sector of Lake Futalaufquen between the South head and Punta Mattos.
Government of Chubut offers $5 million for anyone who provides information on the perpetrators of the fire
This was announced by the governor of Chubut, Ignacio Torreswho made available a $5 million peso reward for anyone who provides accurate information about those people responsible for starting the devastating fire that has already consumed nearly 7,000 hectares of forest.
Patagonian ques in the protected natural area and the fire advances towards Esquel.
In a press conference, the governor maintained that there are important indications about the perpetrators of the incident and that all the inhabitants of the north of the Patagonian province are waiting for the response.
“This handful of miserable people, criminals, have to be imprisoned, we don’t want them in the province,” said the governor of Chubut, Ignacio Torres.
According to what the local media learned Economic Barilochewho will also join this Wednesday to collaborate with the difficult situation is the Secretary of Tourism, Sports and Environment Daniel Scioli, official who will land in Esquel to tour the fields devastated by the fire in El Centinela. He will be received by the provincial president and the local authorities of the city and the national park.
The national government reinforces resources for fighting fires
The Minister of the Interior, Guillermo Francosparticipated in a monitoring meeting on the status of the fires in the Los Alerces and Nahuel Huapi national parks.
During the virtual meeting, in which the Undersecretary of Environment was also present, Ana Lamasand the director of the National Fire Management Service (SNMF), Jorge Heiderthe course of support actions in fighting the fire in both areas was analyzed.
In the operation in Los Alerces and its surroundings, a unified command was formed between said national park and the province of Chubut made up of more than 400 members, of which 325 work on the line of fire with hand tools and firebreak belts, in addition to support from road machinery.
The human resources belong to the SNMF and its national brigades of the South, Center and NEA; National Parks; Chubut Provincial Fire Management Service; Delegation of Buenos Aires, volunteer firefighters from Córdoba and their group ETAC, Esquel, Trevelin, Paso de Indios, Dolavon, Rawson, Trelew, Dique, Madryn and Corcovado.
Likewise, the SNMF summoned 50 combatants from the provinces of Santa Fe and Santiago del Estero, at the request of the province. Other institutions that provide support are the Argentine Naval Prefecture, the National Gendarmerie, the Argentine Army and the Federal Police, the National Road Directorate, the National Meteorological Service and the municipalities of Trevelin and Esquel.
On the other hand, the personnel has the support of three helicopters with buckets, three hydrant planes and an observer plane—aerial resources provided by the SNMF—, a boat, 80 trucks and five fire engines. Tanker trucks, motor graders, bulldozers, carts, backhoes, quadricycles, drones and communications trucks are also available.
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