Wildfires scorch up to 52,000 acres in Argentina’s Patagonia

The fires have forced mass evacuations and renewed scrutiny of recent land-use policies amid a historic drought.

Mar Puig, UPI

13 Jan 2026

Uncontrolled wildfires have burned between 37,000 and 52,000 acres of native forest in Argentina’s Patagonia, according to the Servicio Meteorológico Nacional and the Servicio Nacional de Manejo del Fuego.

The fires have forced mass evacuations and renewed scrutiny of recent land-use policies amid a historic drought.

The first blazes were detected on Jan. 5 in the province of Chubut, and within days spread rapidly across broad forested areas of southern Argentina.

A combination of prolonged drought, high temperatures and strong winds fueled the rapid advance of the flames and complicated containment efforts.

By the weekend, the burned area had reached about 37,000 acres. The emergency prompted the preventive evacuation of some 3,000 people, most of them tourists, and destroyed homes and rural structures.

Environmental group Greenpeace Argentina estimated that 52,000 acres of Patagonian forest, plantations, grasslands and homes have burned so far this summer-- an area larger than Washington, D.C.

Satellite images released by NASA showed dense smoke plumes visible from space and detected new fire fronts in protected areas, including Los Alerces National Park, as firefighting crews from multiple provinces worked to contain the flames.

Chubut’s chief prosecutor, Carlos Díaz Mayer, said evidence supports the hypothesis of an intentional origin. He said investigators found fuel residue at the ignition point of one of the main fires and warned that it started in a strategic location near a primary access route, placing thousands of people at direct risk.

The national government publicly pointed to Mapuche groups as possible perpetrators, but judicial authorities in Chubut rejected that claim for lack of evidence. The head of the Lago Puelo prosecutor’s office dismissed statements by Security Minister Patricia Bullrich, saying the investigation has not linked Indigenous communities to the origin of the fires.

On Monday, the Argentine government said that after deploying more than 500 firefighters, 22 of the 32 active fire fronts in Chubut had been extinguished. Light rainfall in some areas provided partial relief, though officials warned several fronts remain active and the situation is still delicate.

The fires come one month after President Javier Milei announced changes to the Land Law and Forest Law that removed limits on foreign purchases of rural land and lifted long-standing restrictions on changing land use after fires.

In December, Cabinet Chief Manuel Adorni said the government eliminated a rule that barred changes in land use for decades after a fire, arguing the restriction harmed production.

Climate conditions have also been central to the scale of the disaster. Chubut Gov. Ignacio Torres said in a radio interview that conditions were calmer Sunday morning, but remained very critical.

He urged officials and the public never again to downplay the implications of climate change, adding that the province is experiencing the worst drought since 1965, a scenario experts link to global warming and the increasing frequency and severity of wildfires in Patagonia.

Original article

Argentina’s opposition accuses Israeli tourists of sparking Patagonia wildfires

Argentine opposition figures share claims accusing Israeli tourists of arson in Patagonia wildfires, allegations that authorities say involve arson.

The New Arab Staff

13 January 2026

Several figures from Argentina’s opposition, including the country’s former army chief Cesar Milani, have shared claims circulating on social media accusing Israeli tourists of deliberately starting a series of fires sweeping across Patagonia in southern Argentina, near the border with Chile.

In a post shared on X on Sunday, Milani accused a foreign state of intentionally igniting the fires, which began last Monday and have burned more than 3,500 hectares of land.

While he did not name Israel directly, the post included an image of far-right President Javier Milei waving an Israeli flag in front of a large crowd of supporters.

Luis D’Elia, a former government official who resigned in 2006 at the request of former president Nestor Kirchner over alleged ties to Iran, also shared a video of a local resident claiming he tried to stop several Israeli nationals whom he said he witnessed setting fires in the vast forested area.

The New Arab cannot independently verify these allegations.

Argentina’s fact-checking platform Chequeado has, however, debunked claims that one of the fires in the Lago Epuyen area was caused by an Israeli-made M26 grenade, stating instead that the device was produced by an Argentine state-owned arms manufacturer.

The allegations followed a wave of testimonies aired by local Argentine media, featuring residents fleeing their homes near Chubut province. More than 3,000 people were evacuated as fires spread through the region, with several residents accusing Israeli tourists of lighting fires.

A video broadcast by Argentina’s A24 channel went viral over the weekend after it showed an interview with a woman displaced by the fires, who accused the government of selling Patagonia to all the Israelis.

The interview pointed to efforts by the Milei administration to repeal a forestry law that restricts foreign land purchases, a move that has sparked a legal and political debate over sovereignty and control of Argentina’s rural land.

Proposed changes would also lift restrictions on the sale of land immediately after it has been affected by fires, safeguards originally introduced to deter speculation and arson.

The accusations have prompted many social media users to draw parallels between the destruction caused by the fires in southern Argentina and the devastation inflicted by Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza. Milei has dismissed the claims as antisemitic.

In a statement issued on Monday, however, the governor of Chubut confirmed that the fires were sparked intentionally and said authorities would pursue matters so that those responsible answer before the law.

The fires come as Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Argentina’s controversial plan to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem has been delayed, citing an alleged diplomatic dispute linked to oil exploration projects in the Falkland Islands valued at around $2bn.

Original article

Israeli tourists caught causing huge fires in Argentina

Ilkha

Argentine authorities have launched an investigation after an Israeli tourist was reportedly detained for starting fires inside Los Glaciares National Park in Patagonia, an ecologically sensitive area known for its vast forests and natural resources.

The tourist was taken into custody earlier this week after park rangers and environmental officials said he was discovered attempting to ignite fires in a restricted area. The incident occurred amid heightened concern over recent environmental damage in the region, where even small fires can rapidly spread due to dry conditions.

In a separate development, officials in Chubut Province reported claims of suspicious explosive devices found near Lake Epuyén. Preliminary reports mentioned objects resembling M26-type grenades, commonly associated with military use. Security authorities stated that the area was cordoned off as bomb disposal teams and forensic specialists began examinations. However, investigators stressed that the origin, authenticity, and purpose of the devices have not yet been confirmed, and they urged the public to avoid speculation until official findings are released.

Local authorities said the incidents are being treated with “high seriousness” due to environmental and public safety concerns. National Parks Administration officials warned that intentional fire-setting constitutes a criminal offense under Argentine law, carrying severe penalties, and emphasized that Argentina’s protected reserves face increasing threats from negligent and deliberate human actions.

Diplomatic channels have also become involved. According to government sources, Argentine officials are coordinating with Israel’s embassy regarding the detained tourist while awaiting the outcome of legal and forensic assessments.

Environmental organizations in Patagonia have called for stricter monitoring of protected areas, increased patrols, and tougher enforcement measures to prevent similar incidents. Meanwhile, authorities said the investigation remains ongoing, and further details will be released once confirmed evidence is available.

Original article

12,000 hectares

37–52,000 acres = 14,973.369 to 21,043.653 hectares

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