Fires in Córdoba: The Argentine Rural Society demands a comprehensive prevention plan

Wildfires once again devastated rural and mountainous areas of Córdoba, leaving thousands of hectares ravaged. In response to the recurrence of these episodes, the Argentine Rural Society (SRA) demanded greater efficiency in the provincial management of funds allocated to prevention. The organization warned that alert systems are not enough if the State doesn't fulfill basic maintenance tasks.

"The province needs a system that acts before, not after," rural leaders stated in a press release. They maintained that prevention doesn't require more regulations, but rather a responsible use of public resources and an effective presence in the field. For SRA, producers pay fees that do not translate into action or concrete results.

The representatives recalled that Córdoba has civil defense structures and environmental funds, but their real impact is limited. "Fires are put out with management, not with speeches," they pointed out. They stated that the provincial State is becoming slower every year in the face of emergencies that should be avoided through planning.

Abandoned reserves and lack of maintenance

SRA pointed to the lack of cleaning and management in nature reserves and provincial parks. They warned that combustible material accumulates due to a lack of personnel, controls, and coordination with neighboring producers. "Prevention must be carried out in the field, not from a desk," emphasized leaders Guillermo Vitelli, Sebastián Laborde, and Andrés Costamagna.

The rural leaders defended the need to implement firebreaks and keep rural roads clear. However, they reported that opposition from environmental groups and judicial passivity are halting essential tasks. "Córdoba leads the country in burned area, and that is not solved with more paperwork, but with real work and control," they stressed.

SRA warned that the deterioration affects not only natural ecosystems, but also productive establishments and rural families. They consider that the lack of maintenance is a symptom of an oversized and inefficient provincial State. They summarize that the problem is not a lack of resources, but a lack of management.

Demand from the interior: less bureaucracy, more action

Rural leaders expressed their frustration at the administrative sluggishness and inaction of municipalities in critical areas. They assured that technical plans have existed for years, but have never been implemented in a timely and proper manner. "Rural families are tired of fighting both the fire and the permits that never arrive," they stated.

The organization pointed out that provincial parks and protected areas previously allowed for prevention tasks coordinated with the private sector. Meanwhile, today a restrictive approach prevails that leaves the forest without management or surveillance. "Conservation is not achieved by expelling people from the countryside, but by working with those who produce," they added.

SRA concluded that Córdoba doesn't need more taxes or regulations, but rather efficiency in the use of existing funds. They demanded that the provincial State and municipalities assume their operational role and be accountable for the use of resources. "Fire doesn't distinguish ideologies: it is fought with management, not rhetoric," the producers concluded.