Forest fires in Patagonia, Argentina

Recently, serious forest fires broke out in the Patagonia region of Argentina, involving the provinces of Neuquén, Río Negro and Chubut, with an area of over 36,000 hectares. The fires in the El Borzo region are the most urgent, and have been going on for more than 10 days, resulting in the destruction of more than 3,500 hectares of forested land, the burning of more than 140 houses, and the death of one person. Official surveys in Argentina indicate that 95% of the fires are human-caused, that climate change is contributing to the spread of the fires, and that the damage to the ecosystems caused by the fires will last for decades, if not centuries.