Wildfires in Argentine Patagonia kill one, hundreds evacuate
A man died and hundreds of people evacuated from forest fires that have torn through about 3,000 hectares near the tourist hotspot of El Bolson, in Argentina's Patagonia mountains, authorities said Sunday.
"This disaster left one fatal victim, devastated thousands of hectares and caused enormous damage to our community," said Alberto Weretilneck, governor of Argentina's Rio Negro province where the fire is burning.
The mayor of El Bolson, Bruno Pogliano, told the broadcaster TN that a man died after suffering cardiac arrest from inhaling wildfire smoke inside his residence.
More than 800 people were evacuated, according to the Rio Negro provincial government.
The fire initially broke out Thursday in the Cajon del Azul hiking area in Amprale, some 20 kilometers (13 miles) north of El Bolson and then spread rapidly fanned by wind and high summer temperatures.
A state of emergency was declared Friday in Rio Negro, prohibiting open fires and establishing stronger prevention and surveillance measures through April 30.
