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Rains Briefly Ease Chubut Wildfires After Nearly 12,000 Hectares Burn

Forensic findings point to deliberate ignition, keeping containment the priority as the risk of flare‑ups persists.

Overview

  • Provincial authorities report 11,970 hectares affected in the EpuyénEl Hoyo area, with active fronts that crossed Route 40 and threatened a power plant and a school.
  • Showers arrived Sunday and slowed fire activity, but officials caution that 20–30 millimeters of sustained rain would be needed to materially reduce reactivation risk.
  • More than 3,000 people have been evacuated and at least ten homes were destroyed in Epuyén, with additional damage to rural properties and infrastructure.
  • Prosecutors say accelerant was detected at the suspected ignition site, reinforcing the intentional‑arson hypothesis as the governor offers a reward for information.
  • The national response includes 295 brigadistas, 15 aerial assets and military logistics, with nearly 80 additional firefighters joining from Córdoba and support offers from Chile.