A major forest fire in southern Argentina has burned more than 5,500 hectares, authorities said Saturday, as hundreds of firefighters and volunteers battled to contain the blaze threatening small communities.
The fire broke out Monday at Puerto Patriada, about 1,700 km (1,050 miles) southwest of Buenos Aires in the Patagonia region, and has since surrounded Epuyen, a town of 2,000 residents.
Nearly 500 personnel are deployed, with reinforcements expected from Cordoba and Chile.
Fires are active in other Patagonian provinces, including Neuquen, Rio Negro and Santa Cruz. The region lost 32,000 hectares to wildfires in early 2025.