Argentine: Massive Fire Devastation in Corrientes

The scarce rainfall in the last few hours and the firefighters deployed on the ground are insufficient to stop the numerous active outbreaks in the province, declared an environmental disaster.
    
 

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The president of Argentina, Alberto Fernández, noted that all forces had been allocated to address this issue. The government has sent firefighters, security forces, hydrants and helicopters to fight the fires, pointed out the president. The fires began in mid-January but multiplied rapidly in the face of the initial passivity of the provincial authorities.
 
Bruno Lovinson, the deputy director of Civil Defense, stated that the regions with active outbreaks are centered in areas of Palmar Grande, Loma Linda, Paraje Zapallo, and in the third and fourth sections of the town of San Miguel.

The National Fire Management Service (SNMF) of Argentina reported that ten fire outbreaks remain active in the province of Corrientes. At the same time, actions continue to stop the fire's advance in Misiones, Formosa and Río Negro.

"EARTH DEVASTATED in addition! of fires in several provinces in Argentina!!!! Corrientes: Alberto Fernandez visited the area of the fires and Governor Valdes said that the fire was reduced by 30%."

According to the SNMF, five hydrant planes, one observer plane and three helicopters were deployed to fight the fires in Corrientes; these actions were developed in conjunction with the Ministry of Defense and the province of Córdoba.

The Emergency Operations Command, set up in Corrientes, recorded that the rainfall of last Thursday, February 24, reduced 30 percent of the areas on fire in the province. The firefighting brigade was able to put out the fires in three localities of the Argentine region; the fires were extinguished in Caa Catí and Concepción II.

Given the scourge of forest fires, this Friday, the president Alberto Fernández flew over the province of Corrientes together with the Governor of that territory, Gustavo Valdés, to assess the impact of the fires in the area bordering Brazil and Bolivia.