Argentines were battling to control wildfires in the Patagonian province of Chubut on Saturday (January 10).

The area, a popular tourist destination close to the Andes, has seen large areas of forest burnt and destroyed, with local residents joining efforts by the authorities to control the blaze.

“The government does too little and this is too big, so people will have to take charge of this,” said Pablo Giordano, a resident of Epuyen. “It's the people who are saving the situation."

Chubut governor Ignacio Torres said on Friday (January 9) that 5,500 hectares had been affected.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

EPUYEN, CHUBUT, ARGENTINA (JANUARY 10, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. WATER-BOMBING PLANE WORKING

2. FIRE-FIGHTING HELICOPTER WORKING

3. VARIOUS OF FIRE, SMOKE

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LOCAL RESIDENT, PABLO GIORDANO, SAYING:

"My feeling is that we the neighbours are doing a lot through our own will. Many families are buying water tanks, but they don't have a pump to fill them, they don't have the equipment, so we are mainly assisting homes. Replenishing water, replenishing tanks, basically. But also, like just now, here in Pedregoso, small secondary fires that reactivate with the change of wind, and well, the brigades are dealing with the biggest, the most serious parts. There's a lot of spontaneous organisation from the people, purely voluntary, which brings some chaos, but we're managing because the gap is very large. The government does too little and this is too big, so people will have to take charge of this, because it's the people who are saving the situation."

5. RESIDENT SPRAYING WATER WITH HOSE

6. TRUCK TRANSFERRING WATER

7. VARIOUS OF WATER TRUCKS

8. FIRE TRUCK

9. (MUTE) VARIOUS DRONE SHOTS OF NATIONAL PARK IN FLAMES