This weekend, within the framework of the fires in Chubut, the National Parks Administration (APN) ordered the intervention of the Los Alerces National Park for the first time in its history.
According to the authorities, the measure aims to regularize the institutional functioning after the devastating fire that has already consumed approximately 35 thousand hectares of native forest in the province.
The decision, informed through an official press release, involves the appointment of an Intervention Committee to temporarily assume the functions of the park’s administration.
Alongside this, the governor of Chubut, Ignacio Torres, requested the removal of all authorities of the protected area.
The request was channeled following a complaint for negligence filed by the Chubut Tourism Chamber (CATCH), chaired by Griselda Boiraz.
The intervention of the Los Alerces Park is framed within the context of the fire emergency declared in the protected areas under the jurisdiction of National Parks. This will remain until the new appointment of the authorities.
Why the intervention of Los Alerces National Park was ordered
Both the governor and representatives of the tourism sector accused the authorities of Los Alerces Park of negligence in handling the emergency, which led to the intervention.
The criticisms pointed to a lack of foresight, underestimation of risk, and strategic errors in the response to the fire.
“This extreme scenario cannot be attributed to an unforeseeable event, but is the direct consequence of a previous chain of omissions and leadership errors,” stated the CATCH in an official statement.
According to the organization, the intervention of Los Alerces Park will ensure an effective management.
The objective is to fulfill the purposes of conservation and protection as provided by National Law 22.351.
The decision was made after a comprehensive evaluation conducted by an institutional delegation.
The team that ordered the intervention of Los Alerces was led by the head of the APN, Sergio Álvarez, and included the participation of:
- José Albrizio, National Director of Operations
- Damián Mujica, Regional Director South
- Ariel Amthauer, Director of Forest Fire Fighting
The delegation joined the Operational Command on January 6. As a result of the analysis, the authorities deemed it necessary to adopt immediate organizational and functional measures.
The decision to intervene in Los Alerces Park also took into account the existence of judicial proceedings of public knowledge filed with the Federal Prosecutor’s Office of Esquel.
The magnitude of the disaster in Chubut
In Los Alerces, the fire originated from a lightning strike during a thunderstorm.
Following this, the fire spread over thousands of hectares between December 6 and 8 in the southern arm of Lake Menéndez.
Currently, more than 600 brigade members and firefighters are involved in the firefighting efforts.
The fire remains out of control in several areas, especially in Bahía Las Percas and the valley of the Planicie stream. Additionally, adverse weather conditions worsen the situation.
Currently, an extreme heat wave with temperatures above 30 degrees and the worst drought in the last 60 years severely hinder the fire containment efforts.
It is in this context that the provincial government ordered the intervention of Los Alerces National Park.
