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Chronology of the fire in Torres del Paine

On 17th February 2005, a tourist lit a camping stove, provoking a devastating fire that raged through the Torres del Paine area for over 2 weeks. Due to many reasons, including the strong winds and a very dry summer, the fire needed 16 days and hundreds of volunteers to extinguish it.

The fire affected around 15,400 hectares, with as much damage inside as outside the boundaries of the National Park. AMA Torres del Paine united volunteers, focusing our efforts on fighting Sector 2 of the fire, including the slopes of Cerro Paine and the surrounding areas. The volunteers with whom we worked to combat the fire were mostly from private companies in the sector (Hostería Las Torres, Fantástico Sur, KyM and Cascada Expeditions), and tourists who, seeing the crisis, offered their services as volunteers in the efforts to extinguish the fire. Our chronology of the event Thursday 17th February 2005 13:45: The fire is declared in the sector of Laguna Azul. The National Forestry Commission (CONAF) asks for cooperation to combat the fire in the sector close to the Cascada Paine. Volunteers of AMA Torres del Paine come to help with equipment and tanks of water. The teams from CONAF attack the fire with their own equipment and the municipality of Cerro Castillo assists with their own fire engine and equipment. The teams of AMA Torres del Paine are in charge of filling the water stores in the trucks.

The combat with the fire continues with teams from CONAF, Cerro Castillo and AMA Torres del Paine.Point Zero is established in the cascada Paine. This point is changed due to the imminent advance of the fire to the sector, so for the logistics to work, Point Zero is transferred to Porteria Laguna Amarga, now Point Zero. Thursday 17th February 2005 19:30: The teams divide themselves due their small numbers in order to attack the fire. Thursday 17th February 2005 20:00 AMA Torres del Paine recognizes the imminent danger that the fire could cross the Río Paine. Thursday 17th February 2005 23:30 AMA Torres del Paine inspects the Dickenson trail to establish vigilance on the bankopposite the river. Staff of the local private companies including guides and baqueanos (staff who work with the horses on the Estancia) are fundamental in the teams for their knowledge of the land. Friday 18th February 2005 03:30 The wind changes direction, increasing the force of the fire against the bankof the Rio Paine. Friday 18th February 2005 04:30: The fire crosses the Rio Paine (approx. 40 metres wide). Help is increased to the armed forces, CONAF and el Servicio Nacional de Turismo (SERNATUR) to avoid that the fire would cross the Rio Paine, as it was the only natural barrier. The team from AMA Torres del Paine, consisting of 11 volunteers, tries to combat the fire without positive results. They return at 6 am to rest. The armed forces arrive at Laguna Amarga and wait for orders.

Friday 18th February 2005 06:00: The volunteers of AMA Torres del Paine go to combat the fire 500 metres from the first crossing of the Rio Paine. The guides return to the established base in the areas surrounding the Hostería Las Torres by direct order, leaving only 7 people attacking the fire.

New sources of the fire seize the slope of Cerro Paine, advancing until the gorge. This puts the camp of AMA Torres del Paine in danger, as the fire would block the routes of evacuation. It is impossible to attack the fire due to the strong winds. AMA Torres del Paine gathers 40 volunteers and they depart for the direction of the slope of Cerro Paine. They inspect the sections using motorcycles and horses in order to gain information about the advance of the fire.

Saturday 19th February 2005 02:00: The fire advances in the sector and it becomes evident that the available resources are insufficient to control the fire. Requests to organizations and individuals for more equipment and volunteers are increased.

Saturday 19th February 2005 05:00: Two buses with volunteers arrive to combat the fire, providing spades, picks, leather gloves and radio equipment to organize and coordinate the efforts.

Saturday 19th February 2005 06:30: The team of volunteers leaves to fight the fire. CONAF presents a team of approximately 12 people in the affected section. The volunteers now number almost 90 people.

Sunday 20th February 2005: The fire advances greatly in the section, so that all along the western side of Rio Paine we are faced with a line of fire 10km long. Teams from CONAF attack the section north of the line with 40 people.

The team from Argentina de Santa Cruz (32 people) join the effort, establishing Base 1 at 500 metres from the slope affected by fire in order to halt its advance. The Director of Hostería Las Torres gives a jeep to AMA Torres del Paine. Also arriving in the area is the Intendant of the Magallanes Region, the government secretary, and the Mayor of the Torres del Paine region.

Sunday 20th February 2005 06:15: CONAF attack sector 2 and Hostería Las Torres organises the use of 40 spades for the armed forces. The management contracts bulldozers from the company Vilicic, which then cross with difficulty the Rio Paine. They then attack the fire on the slopes of Cerro Paine, halting the advance of the fire to the gorge before working to extinguish all the sources in sector 2.

Monday 21st February 2005: During the evening the increase in wind reactivates all the main sources of fire, and it is seen to have reached the area behind Base 1. This raises the alarm and precautions are taken to ensure that teams are not caught in between the flames. The evacuation of the base is started, but there are only 2 buses and so alongside the bordering woods escape routes are established for the rest of the staff caught there. All the staff from Base 1 are then evacuated.

Monday 21st February 2005 23:00: The foreign tourists are evacuated from the operation at 23:00. Vigilance is maintained through the night where the advance of the fire is registered. Staff from the CONAF brigade lend their help to the efforts in the sector of Base 1.

Tuesday 22nd February 2005: The brigade Argentina de Santa Cruz is installed in the Refugio Las Torres de Fantastico Sur. The fire crosses the trail at the height of the Chorrillo Yeya, isolating for some hours the staff established at Hostería Las Torres and the Brigades at the Refugio Las Torres. The brigade Argentina de Santa Cruz fights the fire in the areas adjacent to Puente Negro, which is the only route of evacuation in the sector.

The fire manages to cross the trail and it draws near to the Hostería Las Torres. Point Zero closes entrance to the building, so access is no longer possible for the drivers or ambulances. In the morning the visitors to Hostería Las Torres are evacuated for safety reasons.

The team of AMA Torres del Paine work to create abarricade to halt the approach of the fire at the limits of the Estancia, aiming to clear the only route of evacuation, which is currently closed off by the fire.

Tuesday 22nd February 2005: 09:00: A second bus of staff leaves the sector.

At dawn, 150 volunteers of AMA Torres del Paine and the brigade Argentina de Santa Cruz continue to stabilize the installations at Hostería Las Torres.

The fire attacks the section of LakeNordenskjöld forcing the retreat of the volunteers and the brigades away from the fire. 14 members of the CONAF team defend the sector of the land in front of the Hostería Las Torres. Argentinean volunteers and those from AMA Torres del Paine attack the focus of the fires closest to the bases.

Wednesday 23rd February 2005: During the first hours of the dawn there was some rain, but the worst centers of the fire still existed close to the access route into the sector. CONAF hands over a report of the damages. The teams from CONAF and the armed forces return to the sector to extinguish the remaining focal points of the fire. However, the wind increases, reactivating the sources of fire adjacent to the path.

The teams from AMA Torres del Paine and Argentinas de Santa Cruz attack the fire in the sector of LakeNordenskjöld and at the mouth of the Rio Esenció. They start to transfer water with the objective to attack the fire at the base of Cerro Paine and the surrounding meadow.

Thursday 24th February 2005: The main concentrations of fire closest to Hostería Las Torres are controlled but the advance continues to the slopes of Cerro Paine. The strong winds hinder and slow down the labours of control and extinction of the fire. Work is started to construct a barricadewith heavy machinery, controlling the fire at the base of Cerro Paine. However, the flames still continue advancing to the slopes.

Friday 25th February 2005: The barricade starts at the path to Hostería Las Torres and continues up to Puesto Seron. Tractors finish the work and return improving the barrier.

They continue the incessant work of transferring the water and staff to the affected section. The fire line is used to transfer fuel for the machinery and to provide food for the teams working in the area.

Saturday 26th February 2005: The fire expands in the direction of LakeSarmiento, advancing to include the camping ground Mancilla Hermanos, and the Estancia Goic where Point Zero is established (Portería Laguna Amarga).

Sunday 27th February 2005: The fire crosses the fire line that was built and starts to burn the slope of Cerro Paine. The teams of CONAFand Argentinas de Santa Cruz work to combat the fire in the sector. Hostería Las Torres provide transport, equipment and water to the teams.

Monday 28th February 2005: They continue to attack the slopes of Cerro Paine using water and other equipment to combat the fire.

Tuesday 1st March 2005: They continue to attack the fire currently burning the slopes of Cerro Paine. Strong winds arrive, reactivating the main points that were almost extinct, and the fire advances to affect new areas.

Wednesday 2nd March 2005 17:00: The fire advances due to the strong wind and teams are obliged to retreat. The Brigades of Argentina de Santa Cruz repair the burnt section and start to attack the fire, working until 04:00 with the logistic help provided by Hostería Las Torres. At dawn, they manage to halt the advance of the fire and extinguish the principal concentrations of flames on the slopes of Cerro Paine.

Thursday 3rd March 2005: The wind drops and the advance of the fire is finally controlled.

Thursday 3rd March 2005 17:00: More rain falls, finally extinguishing the principal focuses of the fire.

Friday 4th March 2005: The fire is considered to be under control. Staff are contracted with the objective to monitor the perimeter of the affected areas and give warning of any possible recurrence.