The Government deployed federal forces in Chubut and warned:'Whoever starts a fire pays.'

The Ministry of National Security released an official statement in which it reported that the Federal Emergency Agency (AFE) operates "fully, permanently, and in a coordinated manner" throughout the national territory and, in particular, in the province of Chubut, with the objective of combating forest fires. According to the text, the deployment includes water-bombing planes, helicopters, brigade members, firefighters from federal forces, and heavy equipment, integrated into the provincial emergency system.

The statement emphasizes that, since its creation, AFE has maintained continuous monitoring of risks linked to emergencies and disasters. In that context, during October all provinces were warned about a high-risk season. In addition, the Ministry indicated that since December 2 the permanent monitoring and operational deployment of AFE throughout the country has been published, with updated information on status reports, resources, and federal assistance.

In the specific case of the fire affecting Puerto Patriada, in Chubut, the federal deployment detailed by the Security Ministry includes 46 brigade members, volunteer firefighters, technical teams, and pilots, together with 4 water-bombing planes, 1 helicopter, pickup trucks, quad bikes, and fire engines. It was also indicated that an active deployment is being maintained in response to other hotspots in the province and operational coverage in the rest of the national territory.

One of the harshest points of the statement is the warning about the origin of the fires. The text states that 95% of the incidents have a human origin and that, in the affected area, no storms or natural discharges were recorded. It also mentions that the prosecutor in charge reported the presence of accelerants, which, according to the statement, would confirm the intentional nature of the act.

In a line of deterrent messaging, the Ministry maintained that hotspots caused by negligence or by deliberate criminal actions "have consequences" and stressed that starting a fire "is not a mistake: it's a serious crime". It also indicated that deliberate acts with a possible link to "self-proclaimed Mapuche terrorist" groups are being investigated, under the modality of "environmental terrorism," and it assured that there will be no impunity: the Ministry will identify, arrest, and bring the perpetrators to trial.

Finally, the statement reported that in the areas determined by the National Parks Administration and provincial authorities any form of open-air fire is strictly prohibited in public lands in the mountain range area and in any non-authorized area.