Buenos Aires, Jan 11 The wildfire in Argentina's Nahuel Huapi National Park has so far destroyed over 3,500 hectares, local authorities reported.
"Following several reconnaissance flights, the fire's perimeter was updated with greater accuracy, estimating an affected area of 3,527 hectares," the park's administration said in a press statement on Friday.
The area, it said, was shrouded in smoke Friday morning, which spread across nearby valleys and prevented aerial operations to combat the blaze.
Access from Los Rapidos to the Circuito Cascada los Alerces area would remain conditionally restricted over the weekend, allowing only authorised vehicles from official institutions and local residents, it added.
Till December 27, 2024, the wildfire had destroyed around 1,450 hectares of the iconic national park, according to Xinhua news agency.
The fire broke out on December 25, 2024, in the southern part of the park and has advanced towards the northern head of Lake Martin, reaching an area already devastated by wildfires in 2022.
"For safety reasons, trails in the southern and central parts of the protected area have been closed," the park administration had said.
The report said that 46 firefighters were deployed to reinforce firefighting efforts in the rear section of the fire and improve escape routes to ensure the safety of the crew and that poor visibility as a result of wildfire smoke has rendered aerial operations impossible.
According to local authorities, smoke from the wildfire "is already affecting the city of Bariloche," one of Argentina's top tourist destinations, known for its ski slopes in winter and lakes and mountains in summer.
Established in 1934, Nahuel Huapi National Park spans 710,000 hectares across the southern provinces of Neuquen and Rio Negro. It is Argentina's first national park and protects Andean ecosystems in northern Patagonia, water basins, wildlife and a diverse cultural heritage.
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