Maximiliano Garrido writes about forest fires in Chile becoming more frequent and lethal.
One of our students from Chile, Maximiliano Rebolledo Garrido (Technology, Media and Telecommunications LLM, 2024), reached out to us to draw attention to the devastating wildfires happening in Chile. Read his news piece entitled “Forest Fires are Becoming More Frequent and Lethal. The tragedy in Chile and how to help.” Below.
Maximiliano says: “This February, Valparaíso and Viña del Mar, two popular tourist cities on Chile's central coast, experienced one of the most devastating and deadly wildfires in recent world history. With more than 8,000 hectares consumed by fire, 133 confirmed victims as of the date of this article, hundreds of people missing, and more than 16,000 homes razed to the ground. This disaster ranks as the second-largest wildfire death toll so far in the 21st century, only behind the catastrophic fire in Australia in 2009. On a national level, this tragedy stands as the second most shocking and deadly in decades after the devastating earthquake that struck Chile in 2010. However, unlike earthquakes, forest fires are, by definition, preventable. This article seeks to reflect on at least three factors that explain why tragedies such as the one in Chile occur more frequently in various parts of the world and what measures can be taken to be better prepared.
First of all, it is central to explore the causes behind forest fires. According to the National Forestry Corporation of Chile (CONAF), approximately 28% of forest fires are caused intentionally. The remaining 72% are accidental or due to carelessness. Intentional fires are characterized by simultaneous ignition of multiple areas and the use of accelerants or other substances to spread the fire. On the other hand, fires caused by negligence are mainly due to inadequate use of machinery during high-temperature conditions in forestry or agricultural activities and, to a lesser extent, from accidents caused by humans. It is essential to evaluate whether the penalties established in each country for these intentional or negligent offences are proportionate to the severity of the damage and whether risk prevention and evacuation policies are appropriate, considering this reality.
The second factor to consider is related to climate change. According to UN data, extreme fires could increase globally by up to 14% by 2030, 30% by 2050, and 50% by the end of the century. Climate change is causing vegetation to dry out, making the landscape more flammable and increasing the likelihood of larger and more dangerous fires. Therefore, it is critical to review environmental policies and integrate them into forest management, urban planning, real estate, and tourism.
The third aspect to consider is related to housing policies. In areas with high wildfire risk, construction regulation should be more rigorous. These policies should identify the danger and frequency of forest fires in each zone. This can be achieved through historical fire mapping. In the case of the recent fire in Chile, it is evident that the affected areas are in a dangerous zone for forest fires. These areas are often mountainous regions, surrounded by forests without firebreaks and with limited evacuation routes.
Finally, we are confident that despite the challenges, Chile will recover. However, international aid is crucial for the ongoing reconstruction and resettlement efforts.
If you are interested in supporting Chile from anywhere in the world including making a financial contributions through the web portals created by the two leading and most well-known reconstruction foundations in Chile and Latin America "Techo para Chile" and "Desafío Levantemos Chile, you can find out more about it on AIDA website: https://aida-americas.org/en/blog/why-chile-burning-and-what-we-can-do-about-it and Chile wild files link https://southamericawineguide.com/chile-wild-fires-2024-how-to-help-and-donate/