Fires in Epuyén: the unusual spark that ended with 2,700 hectares burned

Four days away from fires in Epuyén, province of Chubut, he Provincial Fire Management Service (SPMF) of Chubut reported that the fire is still active and has already destroyed 2,700 hectares of implanted forest. Likewise, they specified that this Saturday they will work on protecting the homes. They suspect that the fire started due to carelessness.

According to the SPMF, during Saturday “Personnel will be redistributed to the sector with the greatest presence of hot spots“, while an agency bulldozer will continue, as yesterday, building a “firebreak strip on the right flank” of the fire “to protect homes.”

Fires in Epuyén: the unusual spark that ended with 2,700 hectares burned

During Friday, we worked with “hand tools, water equipment and pumps“and until now the authorities have not registered seriously injuredbut they noted that some neighbors have superficial wounds from trying to save their belongings from the destruction. Some of the brigade members were also slightly injured.although the main conditions were respiratory due to the smoke.

In dialogue with Radio Splendidpolitical scientist Flavia Broffoni spoke about the extension of the igneous focus: “Epuyén is a town in the Andean region (…) and two days ago it started as a domestic accident, because there are official speeches out there raising suspicions about the intention.”

“The reality is that the residents of Epuyén know how the fire started: due to carelessness with a grinder in a house next to a very large pine forest”, described and explained that “the pines – like exotic implanted trees – displaced the native forest and today are the main cause of fire expansion“.

Exotic pines, and the need to keep a close eye on them

The development of fires in Patagonia due to the afforestation of exotic pines “is a policy that has been promoted by the State since the 70s with a greater incentive in the 90s and that It was never attended to by any government and is the main cause of expansion and acceleration of firesuncontrolled pine forests,” concluded Broffoni.

Forest fires in Chubut: the dramatic story of the mayor of Epuyén

The forest fires in Chubut continue to grow and have already reached 2,000 hectares, all of them native forest. Likewise, more than 200 homes had to be evacuated, and around 30 houses were consumed by fire, making the situation even more critical.

In the midst of efforts to put out the fire with hydrant and fire aircraft working, Jose Contrerasmayor of Epuyén, said: “Seeing how the town turned out is unfortunate, this is a disaster“We are carrying out a survey of the affected homes, we must gain strength and get back on our feet.”

There, he expressed that many sectors of the area they remain incommunicado and they even spent the night without light. “The electricity supply, as well as the Internet, will take approximately one month to return to normal”, he remarked.