A massive forest fire has burned more than 5,500 hectares in southern Argentina, authorities said Saturday, as hundreds of firefighters and volunteers battled to extinguish the blaze that threatened small communities.
The fire broke out on Monday in Puerto Patriada, about 1,700 kilometers (1,050 miles) southwest of Buenos Aires in the Patagonian region, before surrounding Epuen, a town of 2,000 people.
Nearly 500 personnel have been deployed, with reinforcements expected from Cordoba and Chile.
Fires are also burning in other Patagonian provinces, including Neuquén, Rio Negro and Santa Cruz. 2025