Record heat and fire in Patagonia: 600 hectares destroyed in Argentine national park King Charles spent a night in hospital after surgery

A fire that has been going on for days has already destroyed almost 600 hectares of land in a national park in southern Argentina. “The fire is out of control,” Los Alerces National Park Fire Chief Mario Cardenas said Saturday. The firefighters’ work is further complicated by “unfavorable conditions” such as wind and high temperatures.

In Chubut province, firefighters tried to prevent the flames from spreading to the nearby towns of Esquel and Trevelin. Both are located approximately 2,000 kilometers southwest of the Argentine capital Buenos Aires.

The fire had already broken out on Thursday evening. Patagonia, a normally cold and windy region in the far south of the country, is currently experiencing record temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. Due to the risk of forest fires, the provinces of Chubut and Rio Negro declared a state of emergency until April.

The park is on the UNESCO World Heritage List

The Los Alerces National Park, which covers more than 188,000 hectares, has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2017. Ice ages shaped the region’s landscape; there are countless rivers and lakes, rugged rocks and pristine forests. In addition to many endangered species, the park is also home to the oldest population of Patagonian cypresses, a conifer native to South America.

The fire brigade also continues to fight dozens of forest fires in Colombia, South America. In the capital Bogotá, about forty parks and hiking trails were closed on Saturday due to heavy smoke. Authorities urged residents to stay home if possible and wear a face mask when going outside.

Colombia is currently experiencing record temperatures of around 40 degrees Celsius. According to authorities, the heat in the South American country is related to the El Niño weather phenomenon, which is characterized by the warming of surface waters in the Pacific Ocean and has global consequences. (sda/afp)