One of the most biodiverse sites in the country has been on fire and there is concern

One of the most biodiverse sites in the country has been on fire and there is concern

Since last Thursday, the focus, which originated in the suburb of Colonia Santa Rosa, Salta, has affected the Las Yungas region.

The fire was believed to have started as a result of burning garbage and has already spread over 5,000 hectares, according to the report.
The fire was believed to have started as a result of burning garbage and has already spread over 5,000 hectares, according to the report.

One week ago, Residents of Colonia Santa Rosa, located in Salta, deny the source of the fire that started to destroy a large part of the Las Yungas Biosphere Reserve. In particular, they estimate that the fire has destroyed more than 5,000 hectares and fear that the consequences will be catastrophic for wildlife.

Joaquin Fernandez Olivar, an agricultural engineer and resident of the city, explained that the city has been engulfed in a heavy layer of smoke for several days. which makes vision impossible. More precisely, the fire started last Thursday in the city area, so the neighbors believe that, although they were not intentional, it was. “were provoked”.

On Thursday, when the fire broke out, there was only a change in the wind from the north., started a conversation with a man who works for a firm related to agriculture. In addition, he regretted that these outbreaks occur precisely in “a year that looks extremely dry” and icy.

A satellite image of how epidemics spread
A satellite image of how epidemics spread

“There were outbreaks all over the periphery and it jumped into the jungle, Las Yungas, which is huge. More than 5,000 hectares of forest have been damaged in that area and the temperature is rising,” the agronomist added. He also expressed regret that the fire had so little impact, saying that only yesterday the province promised to send a delegation to try to put out the explosions. “This is a jungle of intangibles. Now the fire has destroyed the whole part, which is very beautiful.” big.

On the other hand, he added, the focus that caused the fire was in the area bordering the city and the countryside: “Everything has a relationship, because it did not catch itself.” Fernandez Ulivari warned that “There is a custom of burning leaves or garbage.”

Fernández Ulivari said that epidemics have started to spread in the region and harm the flora and fauna of the subtropical forests, also known as cloud forests. “It was seen on satellite that the fire was human-caused, because of how it starts: It started in an area where there are farms, people traffic and went to where there are hills, mountains with jungles.. “If you look at the satellite photos, you can see that it started in the suburbs and spread into the jungle,” he said.

Aerial photo of the fire

The agronomist says that the surface of the forest that can be consumed by these sources is infinite, so he asked for measures to put out the fire. “At the time, the city was wrapped in a blanket of smoke for three days. It is important to give relevance, because because of the value that Las Yungas creates for the region, in some way what is burning is something important.“, he noted.

The Las Yungas region, in the northern provinces of Salta and Jujuy, is one of the most biodiverse areas in the country. and was recognized as a natural and cultural heritage of the world by the United Nations under the UNESCO program “Man and the Biosphere” in December 2002. With this declaration, Las Yungas is part of the World Network of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and therefore of Argentina.

Pictures of the area affected by the fire
Pictures of the area affected by the fire

Strictly speaking, according to Ledes, Yunga exceeds 4 million hectares Forests representing 2% of the country’s continental area, which maintain 50% of biodiversity. This forest is currently home to around 500 species of birds, another 200 species of trees common to this region, 80 species of ferns and 30 species of amphibians.

“Volunteer firefighters are in total shortage, they were looking to order a motorized pump. And we’re looking for people from firefighters and civil defense to see that outbreaks can be stopped,” added the agricultural engineer. He added that they are still waiting for Mayor Jorge Guerra’s actions. “The north of Argentina is no man’s land”synthesized.

Source: La Nacion

follow:
\