News of fires

Wildfire ravages Patagonian forestland close to El Bolsón

28-01-2021 01:28 The blaze, its origins unknown, is threatening a vast region around the popular tourist town of El Bolsón, home to some 18,000 inhabitants in the Río Negro Province in northern Patagonia.

Congress

Senate passes bill to limit commercial use of fire-destroyed land

07-12-2020 19:44 The Senate has passed a law placing bans of up to 60 years on any changes in the use of land razed by fire, including real-estate projects, in order to avoid speculation.

ARGENTINA ABLAZE

Lawmakers approve bill to limit commercial use of fire-destroyed land

21-11-2020 09:02 After marathon debate, Chamber of Deputies approves bill drawn up by Máximo Kirchner that bans repurposing of fire-affected land.

ARGENTINA ABLAZE

More than one million hectares destroyed by fire in Argentina this year

21-11-2020 08:54 Environmental calamity continues: over 10,000 square kilometres of land has been destroyed by fire so far this year.

by Nick Evans

ENVIRONMENT

South America ravaged by unprecedented drought and fires

26-10-2020 07:00 Exacerbated by a historic drought, larges swathes of forest and wetlands in central South America known for their exceptional biodiversity have been ravaged by devastating fires.

ARGENTINA ABLAZE

Authorities demand probe as fire ravages Jujuy national park

20-10-2020 22:28 Authorities at Calilegua National Park file writ demanding investigation into causes of a fire thought to have started on neighbouring land owned by Ledesma sugar giant. Company says it is cooperating with efforts to tackle the blaze.

by Nick Evans

EDITORIAL

Uncertainty amid the malaise

10-10-2020 09:41 Burning as all these problems are, literally so in the case of the fires and metaphorically in the case of the economic and monetary crisis and the coronavirus pandemic, none of them are really being faced by a government seeking or obsessed with another agenda.

ARGENTINA ABLAZE

Government eyes bill to limit commercial use of fire-destroyed land

04-10-2020 23:07 Frente de Todos proposes bill that would prevent agricultural and real-estate firms from benefitting from destruction and clearance of land devastated by fire.

ENVIRONMENT

More than 400,000 hectares burned in fires since turn of year

29-09-2020 16:35 At the start of this week, 434,975 hectares nationwide had already been affected by forest and bush fires, with 10 provinces in particular bearing the brunt, according to official data.

ENVIRONMENT

Forest fires rip through Córdoba and nine other provinces

26-09-2020 10:11 Hundreds of firefighters battled to put out forest fires throughout the country this week, with the worst outbreaks recorded in Córdoba Province.

FLAMES RAGE

New forest fires rip through Córdoba Province

22-09-2020 18:19 Forest fires ripped through Córdoba Province on Monday night, sparking dozens of evacuations and leaving at least two firefighters with severe burns.

ENVIRONMENT

Wetlands are burning across South America with farmers to blame

31-08-2020 07:00 About 2,500 kilometres south of the Amazon rainforest, other one-of-a-kind ecosystems are falling victim to fire and axe.

THE WEEK IN ARGENTINA

What we learned this week: August 22 to 29

29-08-2020 09:39 Stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

Fires in Argentina

Raging wildfires burn out of control in central and northern Argentina

25-08-2020 15:20 Raging wildfires in forests and grasslands are spreading in northern and central Argentina, with outbreaks in at least a dozen provinces.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Merkel expresses 'significant doubts' over EU-Mercosur trade pact

21-08-2020 14:12 German chancellor expresses "significant doubts" over landmark EU-Mercosur free trade deal, citing concerns over the devastating deforestation of the Amazon rainforest.

LAST SEVEN DAYS

What we learned this week: August 1 to August 8

08-08-2020 09:31 Stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina

Coronavirus Pandemic

'We refuse to die in prison': Villa Devoto prison inmates riot amid pandemic

24-04-2020 16:34 Prisoners set fire to mattresses and riot arguing for house arrest due to coronavirus. Eleven prison officials have been hospitalized for minor burns.

BRAZIL UNDER BOLSONARO

Brazilian Amazon town becomes ground zero for spat with NGOs

04-12-2019 10:44 Nine non-governmental organisations denounced the persecution of activists, academics and scientists under Bolsonaro on Tuesday

BRAZIL UNDER BOLSONARO

Bolsonaro: South American neighbours 'don't respect democracy and freedom'

31-10-2019 15:44 Speaking in Saudi Arabia, far-right deems criticism against him "fake news," makes a bid for OPEC membership, attacks his neighbours and says Brazil is a 'safe place' for foreign investment.

Bolivia fires

Evo Morales not trending among Bolivia’s youth ahead of vote

07-10-2019 15:57 Dissatisfaction over the president’s response to devastating fires has prompted young Bolivians to reconsider their votes in the upcoming election.

AMAZON IN FLAMES

Bolsonaro's son heads to Washington to thank Trump for Amazon support

30-08-2019 12:15 Eduardo Bolsonaro, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's son and hopeful ambassador to the United States, will travel to Washington Friday to thank Donald Trump for his support during the crisis surrounding the fires in the Amazon rainforest.

AMAZON AFLAME

Brazil accepts planes from Chile to fight Amazon fires

28-08-2019 15:28 After meeting with Chile's Piñera, Bolsonaro promotes strategy of "preserving the environment" and "exploration sustainable in our region."

AMAZON AFLAME

New fires rage in Amazon as Brazil warplanes battle flames

26-08-2019 13:38 Hundreds of new fires have flared up in the Amazon in Brazil, data showed Monday, even as military aircraft dumped water over hard-hit areas and G7 nations pledged to help combat the blazes.

AMAZON AFLAME

Pope Francis expresses fears for Amazon, the planet's 'vital lung'

25-08-2019 17:49 "We are concerned about the vast fires that have developed in the Amazon," the pope told the faithful at the Vatican. "That forest lung is vital for our planet."

AMAZON IN FLAMES

Global outrage forces Bolsonaro to act, sending Army to contain Amazon fires

23-08-2019 16:01 Under increasing international pressure to contain record numbers of fires in the Amazon, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said Friday he might send the military to battle the massive blazes.

AMAZON IN FLAMES

Ireland may withold EU-Mercosur deal support over Amazon fires

23-08-2019 14:03 "There is no way that Ireland will vote for the EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement if Brazil does not honour its environmental commitments," says Prime Minister Leo Varadkar

OPINION

Leonid Bershidsky: The EU can push Bolsonaro to save the Amazon

23-08-2019 13:59 It’s appropriate for Macron, Merkel and other European leaders to reconsider the Mercosur trade agreement in response to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s behaviour.

BLOOMBERG

Raging fires and dark skies put Brazil’s Bolsonaro in spotlight

22-08-2019 11:14 With the "lungs of the planet" aflame, experts scramble for answers to confront the environmental policies of Brazil's far-right president.