"Ignacio Torres, Governor of Chubut, reported that the fire in Puerto Patriada, in the town of El Hoyo, may have been caused intentionally, and he warned that those responsible will be identified. Footage recorded on Tuesday in Puerto Patriada shows the advance of the fire towards forested areas and zones close to homes, while dense columns of smoke form in the air. At a press conference, Governor Ignacio Torres stated that the fire was started in a strategic area where families and tourists were present, obstructing the only available road to exit. "Today I contacted the prosecutor who not only gave us certainty that the fire was intentional, in a strategic location, at a strategic time," he reported. He also thanked the provincial firefighters who have been working in the area alongside volunteer firefighters and personnel from the National Fire Management Service. Authorities are maintaining a state of maximum alert while environmental and material damage caused by the fire is being assessed. At the same time, the population has been asked to take extreme precautions, avoid any type of burning and report suspicious movements that could lead to new fires. "