Wildfires Have Burnt Two Million Acres in Northeastern Argentina

Firefighters from state and federal agencies, as well as volunteers, have been battling wildfires for two months in the province of Corrientes in northeastern Argentina. An estimated 800,000 hectares (1.97 million acres) have already burned and there is no estimate when the blazes will be controlled. There are currently 17 active fires that have impacted approximately 9% of the province.

The region has been impacted by drought for a year and a half resulting from La Nina conditions in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The situation deteriorated in January when record high temperatures impacted the region for several weeks. The near-term forecast is calling for light and scattered showers and above normal temperatures.

There has been widespread damage to flora and fauna of the region as well as to agriculture and the electrical grid. Small family farmers have been impacted particularly hard by evacuations and crop damage includes grain, rice, citrus, pastures, and forestry plantations.

The fires last week entered the Ibera National Park, which is one of the largest freshwater wetlands in the world and contain endangered species such as jaguars and over 380 species of birds.

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Tags: wildfires, citrus, pastures, forestry plantations, grain, rice, La Nina, drought, forecast, Argentina