Ancient patagonian forests burn as argentina’s environmental budget cuts spark outrage

Devastating wildfires have torn through Argentina’s pristine Patagonian forests since January, highlighting a growing crisis in the country’s underfunded environmental protection efforts. Two major blazes erupted in Chubut province, directly threatening Los Alerces National Park—a UNESCO World Heritage Site that harbors some of Earth’s most ancient living trees, including 3,600-year-old alerce cypresses.

The fires have already consumed an estimated 30,000 acres of irreplaceable forest and grassland within the 642,000-acre park, which serves as a critical refuge for endemic species like the tiny monito del monte marsupial and the striking Magellanic woodpecker. While investigators suspect at least one fire was deliberately set, the broader concern centers on Argentina’s severely weakened capacity to prevent and respond to such environmental emergencies.

Environmental groups are pointing to significant budget cuts to Argentina’s environmental services as a key factor in the crisis. “We demand that the national government and the provinces provide more prevention, firefighters and infrastructure to respond quickly to fires, and penalize the destruction of forests,” Greenpeace Argentina declared, echoing widespread frustration over the country’s environmental priorities.

The situation underscores a troubling pattern across Latin America, where economic pressures often clash with conservation needs. As climate change increases fire risks throughout the region, the Patagonian blazes serve as a stark reminder that protecting irreplaceable ecosystems requires sustained investment—something Argentina’s cash-strapped environmental agencies currently lack.