Natural Heritage Fire in Patagonian Forests
Los Alerces National Park is a large protected area established in 1937 to preserve Fitzroya cupressoides forests, a type of slow-growing conifer with some specimens surviving for more than 3,600 years.
The Park covers an area of 263,000 hectares in the province of Chubut, Argentina and also in 2025 has been damaged by severe fires.
A fire, visible by satellites on January 8, 2026 spread in the park. Drought conditions and strong winds seem to have boosted the fire that, 4 days after the start, have burnt around 12,000 hectares in the Chubut province Fires are have hit also Los Alerces National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The challenging weather conditions have impacted on firefighters on the ground, with high temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds.
The governor of Chubut said “approximately 3,000 tourists have been evacuated from the area in recent days, and at least 10 homes have been destroyed by the fire.”
The Noticias Ambientales website reported that “The origin of the fire was intentional, according to the governor”.
At the time of this post, firefighting operations are still ongoing and the cause of the fire is unknown.
No casualties have been reported among residents, tourists, or firefighters in the area.
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