Facu Trotta Arrieta

A catastrophic wildfire has torn through the Patagonian region of Argentina, reducing vast swaths of forest and farmland to ash. The town of El Bolsón, nestled in Río Negro province, has become the epicenter of what locals describe as a “monumental disaster.” Since igniting on January 30 near the popular hiking trail Cajón del Azul, flames have devoured over 1,600 hectares (4,000 acres) and continue to spread eastward, fueled by relentless winds and temperatures exceeding 25°C (77°F).

Simultaneous outbreaks in neighboring Chubut province—including Epuyén, Atilio Viglione, Puerto Madryn, and Río Pico—have stretched emergency resources thin. In Puerto Madryn alone, a lightning strike during a thunderstorm sparked a separate inferno that has consumed 50 square kilometers (19 square miles) of rural land, threatening critical highways and rural communities.

Authorities warn that conditions could worsen. “The disaster is monumental, especially because there are farms within the forests, and the fire could wipe them all out,” said Alejandro, a decade-long resident of El Bolsón quoted by Pagina|12.

The fires have forced mass evacuations, displacing over 500 families in El Bolsón and surrounding areas. Approximately 300 tourists and residents were relocated to the local sports complex, while others sought refuge with friends or in makeshift shelters. For many, escape was a harrowing ordeal.

“I left with nothing but the clothes on my back. I had to abandon my animals and everything I own,” said one evacuated woman, her voice trembling. Some residents, like Oscar, raced against time to save their livelihoods. “I saw the smoke from work and rushed home. By wetting the ground, I saved my fruit orchard, but my neighbor’s cabin burned to the ground,” he recounted.

Tragedy struck hardest for those like “El Pampa”, an artisan interviewed by Agencia de Noticias Bariloche (ANB), who lost his home and tools. “I have nothing left. Nothing,” he said, standing amid the smoldering ruins of his property. “All I could grab were my ID, my walking stick, and my dog.” His story mirrors dozens of others in El Bolsón, where flames reduced homes, schools, and clinics to ash.

The fires also obliterated a school, a rural health post, and an untold number of homes. In Mallín Ahogado, a rural hamlet near El Bolsón, over 100 residents fled as flames encroached within meters of their doors.

A Battle Against the Elements

Firefighters and brigadists from across Argentina are waging an uphill battle. Teams from the National Fire Management Service, provincial police, and volunteers have deployed helicopters, planes, and ground crews—but resources are stretched to the limit.

“The wind is our worst enemy,” said Orlando Baez of the Servicio de Prevención y Lucha contra Incendios Forestales (SPLIF). Gusts reaching 80 km/h (50 mph) have created erratic fire behavior, propelling embers kilometers ahead of the main blaze. The crisis deepened when El Bolsón’s firefighters reported the theft of a critical water pump, pleading for its return.

Ecosystems Under Siege: Fire, History, and a Warming Patagonia

The wildfires ravaging El Bolsón and its neighboring regions are not isolated tragedies but part of a broader ecological collapse. In the Comarca Andina del Paralelo 42—a biodiverse corridor spanning Río Negro and Chubut provinces—fires have scorched ancient forests, peatlands, and critical watersheds. The blazes threaten endangered species like the huemul (South Andean deer) and risk contaminating waterways that sustain Patagonia’s fragile ecosystems.

Concurrent Crises

• Epuyén: Just 30 km from El Bolsón, a fire ignited on January 21 in Rinconada has devoured 3,000 hectares, displacing 200 families and destroying 50 homes.

• Nahuel Huapi National Park: Over 8,000 hectares have burned since December 2024, with flames advancing toward the tourist hub of Bariloche.

• Lanín National Park: In Neuquén’s remote Valle Magdalena, near the Tromen area, a wind-driven fire has consumed roughly 50 hectares of dense forest. Over 80 brigadistas, aided by planes, helicopters, and thermal drones, battle relentless 50 km/h gusts and rugged terrain, while evacuating livestock from nearby pastures. The blaze, dangerously close to a protected Araucaria (monkey puzzle tree) reserve, remains uncontained as officials warn of worsening conditions.

Extreme heat (24–25°C), 70 km/h winds, and a multiyear drought have turned forests into tinderboxes. Scientists warn such conditions, exacerbated by climate change, make Patagonia 40% more fire-prone since 2000.

Residents still haunted by Lago Puelo’s historic inferno now face déjà vu. “This feels like punishment—we rebuilt, and now it’s all burning again,” said an Epuyén evacuee. The 2021 fires, which also ravaged parts of El Bolsón, underscored systemic failures in fire prevention and response—issues repeating today.

A Call for Unity

Amid the devastation, solidarity has emerged. Donations of food, clothing, and supplies pour into El Bolsón from across the entire region. Volunteers and firefighters work tirelessly, dampening hotspots and aiding evacuees.

Yet the road ahead is daunting. With winds unrelenting and temperatures rising, officials urge vigilance. “We’re doing everything we can,” Governor Weretilneck said, “but we need more support—and time.”

As night falls over Patagonia, the glow of flames serves as a grim reminder: this battle is far from over.