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Photo: Nir EkdesmanThere are currently four active fire outbreaks affecting native forests and biodiversity in Argentine Patagonia. Experts say reforms are needed to forestall future problems.
By Sofía Jano
After over two months of fighting fires, Argentine Patagonia remains on high alert due to large active outbreaks that continue to destroy and endanger forests and native species of flora and fauna, as well as the safety of local residents and communities in surrounding areas.
The first fires broke out in December 2024 at Nahuel Huapi National Park in Río Negro province. Then, at the beginning of 2025, a fire broke out in the province of Chubut and, later, the fire devastated part of the Río Azul - Lago Escondido Protected Natural Area in Río Negro, which has given way to even more fires, resulting so far in the loss of 50,636 hectares of forest, according to the latest report from Argentina’s Forest Fire Prevention and Fighting Service (SPLIF).
The first fires broke out in December 2024 at Nahuel Huapi National Park in Río Negro province. Then, at the beginning of 2025, a fire broke out in the province of Chubut and, later, the fire devastated part of the Río Azul - Lago Escondido Protected Natural Area in Río Negro, which has given way to even more fires, resulting so far in the loss of 50,636 hectares of forest, according to the latest report from Argentina’s Forest Fire Prevention and Fighting Service (SPLIF).
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Photo: Nir EkdesmanA difficult season
After a severe thunderstorm at Nahuel Huapi National Park in December 2024, a forest fire set off by lightning has not stopped burning until now, consuming 12,072 hectares of forest, while at Lanín National Park 23,844 hectares of important flora and fauna have been lost.
Sofía Nemenmann, co-executive director of the Argentine Association of Environmental Lawyers, says the fires have in particular meant the loss of valuable and endangered species, such as ancient araucaria trees. “This season we have seen a record number of large-scale fires, caused by various factors and aggravated by a common factor: the lack of forest fire prevention and mitigation policies,” she said.
This month, the Argentine government announced the creation of a federal emergency agency to effectively manage these kinds of catastrophes. However, Nemenmann warns the government is still not up to the task of mitigating or avoiding the irreversible damage caused by the fires. “Although the State is in charge of the combat operations, there is not yet any comprehensive prevention and mitigation management plan for these kinds of events in the region. We can't say that these fires take us by surprise, we know that they are likely events during the dry season,” says Nemenmann.
Currently, the corresponding authorities are doing everything they can to combat the flames, including the deployment of 10 helicopters and 3 seaplanes to prevent the spread of the fire.
In addition, a few days ago the helicopter known as the “Super Puma” was flown in from Chile to the province of Neuquén. It has a capacity to drop 3,500 litres of water and will be used for 14 days to control the serious fire in Lanín National Park, specifically in the Magdalena Valley area, which has already wiped out sigificiant stands of ancient araucaria trees (Araucaria araucana).
After a severe thunderstorm at Nahuel Huapi National Park in December 2024, a forest fire set off by lightning has not stopped burning until now, consuming 12,072 hectares of forest, while at Lanín National Park 23,844 hectares of important flora and fauna have been lost.
Sofía Nemenmann, co-executive director of the Argentine Association of Environmental Lawyers, says the fires have in particular meant the loss of valuable and endangered species, such as ancient araucaria trees. “This season we have seen a record number of large-scale fires, caused by various factors and aggravated by a common factor: the lack of forest fire prevention and mitigation policies,” she said.
This month, the Argentine government announced the creation of a federal emergency agency to effectively manage these kinds of catastrophes. However, Nemenmann warns the government is still not up to the task of mitigating or avoiding the irreversible damage caused by the fires. “Although the State is in charge of the combat operations, there is not yet any comprehensive prevention and mitigation management plan for these kinds of events in the region. We can't say that these fires take us by surprise, we know that they are likely events during the dry season,” says Nemenmann.
Currently, the corresponding authorities are doing everything they can to combat the flames, including the deployment of 10 helicopters and 3 seaplanes to prevent the spread of the fire.
In addition, a few days ago the helicopter known as the “Super Puma” was flown in from Chile to the province of Neuquén. It has a capacity to drop 3,500 litres of water and will be used for 14 days to control the serious fire in Lanín National Park, specifically in the Magdalena Valley area, which has already wiped out sigificiant stands of ancient araucaria trees (Araucaria araucana).
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Photo: Nir EkdesmanThe impact of fire on flora and fauna
According to the National Fire Management Service of the Government of Argentina, some 95% of fires are caused by human activity, while environmental conditions and large-scale tree plantations only serve to exacerbate the situation.
"High temperatures, lack of rainfall and strong winds predispose the vegetation such that, faced with a source of ignition, human or otherwise, the fire spreads easily, which favors the development of these kinds of severe and large-scale fires,” says Juan Paritsis, a biologist and researcher at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) in Argentina.
In the past two months, these conditions have led to the loss of native forest species such as the alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides), coihue (Nothofagus dombeyi), araucaria, Antarctic beech (Austrocedrus chilensis) and lenga (N. pumilio), the latter being a species highly sensitive to fire and difficult to recover after a fire.
It is not yet possible to clearly estimate the effects of the flames on wildlife in the burned areas, but Paritsis says that the species most affected would be those with less mobility or dispersal capacity, such as amphibians and reptiles.
“If we extrapolate the impacts related to the loss of high-altitude forests, then we can infer that the animal species associated with these forests are the ones that will lose the most habitat in the long term,” adds Paritsis.
According to the National Fire Management Service of the Government of Argentina, some 95% of fires are caused by human activity, while environmental conditions and large-scale tree plantations only serve to exacerbate the situation.
"High temperatures, lack of rainfall and strong winds predispose the vegetation such that, faced with a source of ignition, human or otherwise, the fire spreads easily, which favors the development of these kinds of severe and large-scale fires,” says Juan Paritsis, a biologist and researcher at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) in Argentina.
In the past two months, these conditions have led to the loss of native forest species such as the alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides), coihue (Nothofagus dombeyi), araucaria, Antarctic beech (Austrocedrus chilensis) and lenga (N. pumilio), the latter being a species highly sensitive to fire and difficult to recover after a fire.
It is not yet possible to clearly estimate the effects of the flames on wildlife in the burned areas, but Paritsis says that the species most affected would be those with less mobility or dispersal capacity, such as amphibians and reptiles.
“If we extrapolate the impacts related to the loss of high-altitude forests, then we can infer that the animal species associated with these forests are the ones that will lose the most habitat in the long term,” adds Paritsis.
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Photo: Nir EkdesmanPatagonia on alert
Although the environmental damage has been severe, environmental organizations such as the Association of Friends of Patagonia, environmentalists, universities, municipalities, and residents of the affected areas and volunteers are mobilizing and leading campaigns to raise funds to help the affected families.
“The response of the people to this situation is amazing. We have received an innumerable amount of help from different sectors: teachers, drivers, clothing manufacturers, builders and architects. The network is infinite when the damage is great and that will be the fertile ground on which we will rebuild each lost house,” says Nemenmann.
There has been great urgency for cooperation, especially between Chile and Argentina. The active outbreaks in Lanín National Park and Nahuel Huapi National Park also pose a threat to Villarrica National Park, in the Araucanía Region, and the Cochamó district in the Los Lagos Region, respectively.
In Cochamó, the flames managed to cross the border into the mountain sector known as Paso El León, a fire that was recently brought under control thanks to the support of four helicopters. Still, the area continues in a state of maximum alert.
In the long term, experts agree that we can expect the fires to continue threatening northwestern Patagonia due to rising temperatures and decreasing rainfall caused by climate change.
“Our studies indicate that, in the face of these conditions, the occurrence of fires in the region will double or triple in the coming decades, so fire will increasingly be a key event to take into account for the conservation and management of the Andean-Patagonian forests, as well as for the lives of the people who inhabit them,” says biologist Paritsis.
Although the environmental damage has been severe, environmental organizations such as the Association of Friends of Patagonia, environmentalists, universities, municipalities, and residents of the affected areas and volunteers are mobilizing and leading campaigns to raise funds to help the affected families.
“The response of the people to this situation is amazing. We have received an innumerable amount of help from different sectors: teachers, drivers, clothing manufacturers, builders and architects. The network is infinite when the damage is great and that will be the fertile ground on which we will rebuild each lost house,” says Nemenmann.
There has been great urgency for cooperation, especially between Chile and Argentina. The active outbreaks in Lanín National Park and Nahuel Huapi National Park also pose a threat to Villarrica National Park, in the Araucanía Region, and the Cochamó district in the Los Lagos Region, respectively.
In Cochamó, the flames managed to cross the border into the mountain sector known as Paso El León, a fire that was recently brought under control thanks to the support of four helicopters. Still, the area continues in a state of maximum alert.
In the long term, experts agree that we can expect the fires to continue threatening northwestern Patagonia due to rising temperatures and decreasing rainfall caused by climate change.
“Our studies indicate that, in the face of these conditions, the occurrence of fires in the region will double or triple in the coming decades, so fire will increasingly be a key event to take into account for the conservation and management of the Andean-Patagonian forests, as well as for the lives of the people who inhabit them,” says biologist Paritsis.
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