TheArgentine Patagoniawildfires begun on Sunday March 7, 2021 when a focus of fire appeared at kilometer 21 of Provincial Route 6 ofRío Negro Province, Argentina. Subsequently, the fire spread toLas Golondrinas,Lago Puelo,El Hoyo,El Maitén andCholila inChubut Province, following the42nd parallel south.[1] The fire would spread aided by the wind reaching populated areas where there have been reports of burned vehicles and the destruction of hundreds of houses.[2][3]Servicio Nacional del Manejo del Fuego helped people evacuate the area.[3][2] Various causes have been proposed for the fire, including the fall of a trees on electrical transmission cables, given that the fires follow the electrical wiring.[4]Intentional fires have also been proposed as a cause.[4] National minister of Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible,Juan Cabandié, called for an investigation through a criminal complaint about the causes of the fire.[5] As of March 12, 2021, 11 people were missing.[5]
