The director of Civil Defense for the province of Buenos Aires, Fabián García, emphasized on Thursday that "forest fires are becoming more and more violent and prolonged, affecting many provinces and requiring the presence of the state, coordination, and commitment." García stated from Esquel, in comments to the Argentine News Agency (NA), that "federalism is also built by being present when it is most needed, and that is the conviction" of the provincial government. "As has become customary in recent years, the province of Buenos Aires provides solidary collaboration with the rest of the Argentine provinces when forest fires occur," he noted. The Buenos Aires Governor, Axel Kicillof, ordered the immediate dispatch of human and logistical resources to assist in the emergency. The Buenos Aires Ministry of Security, through the Provincial Directorate of Civil Defense, mobilized a team of 40 firefighters specializing in forest fires, whose equipment consists of chainsaw operators, pump operators, and tactical personnel, all certified and equipped to operate in high-complexity and hard-to-reach terrain. Additionally, they confirmed that due to Chubut's complex topography, it was also decided to send a fleet of 17 vehicles adapted for the emergency: 14 pickups (4x2 and 4x4) for rapid transport and logistics; a 4x4 URO Fire Truck, a high-capacity unit specifically designed for deep penetration into hostile terrain; and two UTVs with a forestry kit, essential for reaching "red zones" where conventional vehicles cannot access. The Buenos Aires contingent has as its priority the fire in Puerto Patriada and the Laguna Villarino sector, where the fire's behavior is extreme. "Forest fires are becoming more and more violent and prolonged, they affect many provinces and require the presence of the state, coordination, and commitment. And that is the conviction we have from the province of Buenos Aires," he specified. Furthermore, he detailed that "the firefighters from the province of Buenos Aires will work together with Chubut's provincial fire management program until a personnel change is made and it is decided that a withdrawal can be made." "These 40 firefighters are working together with the fire management personnel of the province of Chubut," García explained. Likewise, he assured that "this assistance is part of a political decision by Governor Kicillof, who understands that cooperation between provinces is a central tool to strengthen federalism, especially in the face of emergencies of this magnitude." "Therefore, preventive tasks and fire suppression must be carried out to protect the community from this phenomenon that hits us year after year," he concluded. "Federalism is also built by being present when it is most needed." "We are always available, both for Chubut and the rest of the provinces, to be able to collaborate in the face of a phenomenon resulting from climate change that we must work on adapting to." The contingent arrived in Esquel last Saturday and began working on the fires on Sunday.
