Argentina Wildfires Continue to Rage
The fires in Argentina ignited at Los Glaciares National Park continue to rage on, destroying a premier international travel destination. The epic mountains, glaciers, and forests are a nature lover’s dream. Professional photographers, tourists, and global adventurists have made it an ultimate destination. The epic landscapes cover close to 387,000 miles, and over 37,000 acres have been scorched.
Former deputy chief of the Argentine Army, Cesar Milani, espoused that it was two Israelis who started the blaze. Argentine radio host Marcela Feudale concurs. However, “The umbrella organization of Argentina’s Jewish community strongly condemned the baseless claim, drawing support from President Javier Milei, who said that those spreading such conspiracies represent ‘Argentina’s dark side.’”
Many Argentinians, however, agree with Milani and Feudale and have been vocal about their concerns regarding Israelis stealing land in Argentina, while The Jerusalem Post reported that these claims are “an antisemitic conspiracy theory.”
Fueling emotions further is a video circulating online of an Argentinian man confronting an alleged male Israeli tourist. Authorities are looking into the allegation.
Governor Ignacio Torres announced a 50 million Argentine pesos reward for identifying the culprits. He stated, “The wretches who started the fire are going to end up in jail.” Additionally, Mar Puig reported that, “Chubut’s chief prosecutor, Carlos Díaz Mayer, said evidence supports the hypothesis of an intentional origin. He said investigators found fuel residue at the ignition point of one of the main fires and warned that it started in a strategic location near a primary access route, placing thousands of people at direct risk.”
The location of the fires is in the province of Chubut, close to the Chilean border. Concerns about winds, drought, and heat are spurring fears due to the memory of wildfires that wreaked havoc in the same area a year ago.
Jorge Aranea, a volunteer firefighter in El Hoyo, has been battling the flames. He shared, “It’s sad to see everything burning. And sometimes you do what you can, and it’s not enough. What’s happening is terrible.”
Evacuations of tourists and local families are being carried out, with at least 3,000 tourists already moved to safety. Only time will tell when the wildfires will finally be under control. In the meantime, Argentines and the international community await the results of the investigation.
IP Editorial Board