Wildfires have blazed through more than 29,600 acres of forest and scrubland in the Patagonian region of Argentina, and they’re still burning. Thousands of people have evacuated for safety.
Patagonia is the southernmost tip of South America. Both Chile and Argentina have provinces in the region. The wildfires are in the Argentine province of Chubut, not far from the border with Chile in the Andes Mountains.
The Andes are popular with tourists. And since it’s summer in Patagonia, tourist season is at its peak.
It’s also peak season for wildfires. Drought, heat, and strong winds make fires difficult to contain. Almost exactly one year ago, wildfire in the same area burned tens of thousands of acres of forestland and destroyed dozens of homes.
The current wildfires began one week ago. One burns in Los Alerces National Park.
“There’s no way to describe what we’re living through,” a resident told the Buenos Aires Times. “Every five minutes a new fire starts.” According to the same source, 3,000 tourists and 15 resident families have been evacuated.
Authorities are investigating how the fires started. Evidence indicates that someone may have started the biggest wildfire deliberately.
“The wretches who started the fire are going to end up in jail,” says Ignacio Torres, governor of the Chubut province. He announced a reward of 50 million Argentine pesos (about $34,000) for identifying those responsible.
Nearly 300 firefighters work to contain the fires. The Argentine Armed Forces have also deployed 15 aircraft. On Saturday, Chilean president Gabriel Boric offered to send reinforcements.
“It’s sad to see everything burning,” says volunteer firefighter Jorge Aranea. “And sometimes you do what you can, and it’s not enough.”
Wildfires are terrifying to behold. The Bible uses fire as a metaphor to describe God’s glory and power. Hebrews 12:28-29 encourages us to worship God with awe, “for our God is a consuming fire.”
God’s power is greater than the biggest wildfire. Pray for safety for the people in Chubut province.
