‘Catastrophe’ in Argentina as wildfires burn farms and wildlife

People in Argentina are hopeful light rains that began over the weekend will help firefighters curb blazing wildfires that have ravaged farms, pastures and wildlife in the country’s north in recent weeks.

Eight separate fires in Argentina’s Corrientes province have devastated almost 800,000 hectares (1.98 million acres), according to officials.

The choking smoke has made the day look like night while flames consumed about 30,000 hectares (74,130 acres) a day, destroying up to 9 percent of a region that is dependent on agriculture.

Strong winds, low humidity and dryness from drought fuelled the fires beginning in mid-January. Forecasters said light rains that began falling on Sunday were expected to continue through the week, offering a prospect of relief to a region that has suffered extreme heat and drought. The mainly rural province of farms, ranches and forests that borders Paraguay normally sees abundant rain.

Firefighters, police and volunteers have been trying for weeks to put out the fires, which have taken hold amid drought linked to the La Niña climate phenomenon as temperatures have risen around the planet.

“Everything came together; the drought of a year and a half, the high temperatures, the lack of rain and the hydric stress that the plants already have, even the soil itself,” Josefina Piñeiro, a resident of Corrientes, told Reuters.

Authorities estimate losses so far at more than 26 billion Argentine pesos (more than $240m), and experts say the province could need years to recover. Argentina has limited exports of beef this year because of the shortfalls of rain.

United States government scientists on January 13 reported that 2021 had been the sixth-warmest year on record.

Source: Al Jazeera 

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https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/21/catastrophe-in-argentina-as-wildfires-burn-farms-and-wildlife

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