The Ministry of Security of Argentina has announced that it will go 'to the last consequences' to identify, detain, and bring to trial those responsible for the forest fires affecting various regions of the country, particularly the province of Chubut. The ministry stated in an official communiqué that the Federal Emergency Agency (AFE) is operating nationwide, especially in the mountainous region, to combat the active fire hotspots. The government emphasized that the fires not only cause irreversible environmental damage but also endanger the lives of residents and firefighters, and severely impact regional economies. Authorities are investigating deliberate acts that may be linked to groups the state qualifies as terrorist organizations, under the modality of environmental terrorism. Accelerants were detected in some affected areas, confirming the intentional nature of the fires. The operation to combat the fire will be accompanied by an active policy of criminal prosecution against those responsible. 'Setting a fire is not a mistake: it is a serious crime,' the ministry stressed. In the province of Chubut, a major federal deployment has been activated, including 46 firefighters, four water-dropping aircraft, one helicopter, and heavy equipment, operating in coordination with local authorities.
