Patagonia wildfires stir criticism over Milei austerity cuts

By Leila Miller

A drone view shows trees burnt by wildfires, in Cholila, in the patagonian province of Chubut, Argentina, January 29, 2026. REUTERS/Gonzalo Keogan Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

BUENOS AIRES, Jan 30 (Reuters) – Patagonia forest fires have destroyed an area more than twice the size of Buenos Aires, stirring criticism over austerity measures under President Javier Milei that have significantly cut aid resources.

On Thursday, the government said it would declare an emergency in the southern provinces of Chubut, Rio Negro, Neuquen and La Pampa to help unlock funds.

Wildfires are common in Patagonia during the summer months, but the current fires have breached Los Alerces National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site famed for its alerce trees, which can live more than 3,600 years, making them the world’s second-longest-living tree species.

The current forest fires are concentrated in the province of Chubut, where firefighters are battling strong winds and high temperatures. The government of Chubut has said that more than 110,000 acres (44,515 hectares) have been destroyed so far. The first forest fires of the season began in December.

Milei’s government has pursued aggressive fiscal tightening dubbed “chainsaw” spending cuts and environmental groups have criticized budget cuts that have significantly reduced funding for wildfire prevention and response.

Argentina’s 2026 budget slashed funding for the National Fire Management Service by 71% in real terms compared with the previous year, according to FARN, a local non-profit group.

“These fires are absolutely predictable,” said Ariel Slipak, an economist at FARN, adding that Milei’s government had prioritized a balanced budget over emergency funds “at all costs.”

Argentina’s Ministry of Security on Thursday said it would allocate about $69 million to support fire fighting efforts.

Milei has previously referred to climate change as a “socialist lie,” drawing criticism from environmental activists.

His government has said it is also considering withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, the world’s main climate pact, following the example of U.S. President Donald Trump, a close ally of Milei, who exited the accord this year.

“To continue denying or underestimating the effects of climate change, which science and the ecological movement have long warned about, is a political irresponsibility that will be paid for by forests and homes,” Hernan Giardini of Greenpeace in Argentina in a statement.

The burned area has already surpassed the roughly 80,000 acres (32,374 hectares) of Patagonian forest scorched during last summer’s fire season, according to Greenpeace.

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