Argentine governor denounces ‘premeditated’ forest and grassland fires

The governor of Argentina’s Jujuy province, Gerardo Morales, denounced today that the fire, which has already burned more than 6,000 hectares of forest and grasslands, was “deliberately” set.

He told the press this after visiting the areas affected by the fire, which broke out Wednesday in the town of Yuto, near Calilegua National Park.

“We have been fighting for days. The 2020 fire was the most complicated, with more than 24,000 hectares, and the current fire is 6,000 hectares in size,” he said.

Morales chaired a meeting of the Emergency Operations Committee in which he thanked the brigadistas and crews for their work in fighting the flames and for “the commitment of everyone.”

“It is established that (the fire) was premeditated and set on a private farm,” the governor said, although he acknowledged that “it is difficult to find the person responsible.”

The fire broke out in Yuto, 161 kilometers northeast of San Salvador de Jujuy and more than 1,600 kilometers from Buenos Aires, then spread to degraded native forests and pastures.

Three hydrant aircraft and a National Fire Management Service helicopter with more than 50 firefighters are operating in the affected area.

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