At least 13 deaths were caused this Friday by the 204 active fires that hit the south-central zone of Chile, and that led the Government to declare a state of catastrophe in the region.
“We have to point out that there are 13 deaths in total, 11 in the Santa Juana commune, a Bolivian national pilot and a Chilean national mechanic who got into a helicopter that was on duty to fight this fire,” said Mauricio Tapia. , deputy national director of the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senapred).
One of the people who died in Santa Juana, in the Biobío region, was a volunteer from the fire department of that town.
President @GabrielBoric: “I want to tell all the citizens and inhabitants of Biobío, Ñuble, part of Maule and La Araucanía, that we are with you. All the forces of the State will be deployed to face the fires and accompany all the victims.” pic.twitter.com/tlp0qYtzJz
– Presidency of Chile (@Presidencia_cl) February 3, 2023
“Very saddened by the helicopter accident in which the pilot and mechanic who worked fighting the fire in the Galvarino commune in La Araucanía died,” the Chilean Minister of Agriculture, Esteban Valenzuela, wrote on his Twitter account.
Very saddened by the helicopter accident in which the pilot and mechanic who worked fighting the fire in the Galvarino commune in La Araucanía died.
Our deep solidarity with the families of so many people who risk their lives for the safety of all.
— Esteban Valenzuela Van Treek (@tvalenzuelavt) February 3, 2023
According to the authorities, more than 200 fires have destroyed more than 47,000 hectares, leaving 97 homes completely destroyed and 22 injured, eight of them seriously. Of the 204 active fires, 56 are out of control.
The situation, which is far from being controlled, brings to mind the catastrophe that took place in that area at the beginning of 2017when a mega forest fire left 11 dead, some 6,000 homeless, more than 1,500 homes destroyed and 467,000 hectares affected.
As in that year, the current sources of fire began in agricultural areas and forests, and progressed to threaten and affect populated areas.
Even traffic on one of the main highways that connects to the city of Concepción (510 km south of Santiago) had to be restricted since Thursday due to the proximity of the fire.
One of the epicenters of the tragedy is the town of Santa Juana52 km south of Concepcion.
state of catastrophe
The Chilean government declared a state of catastrophe on Friday in the Ñuble and Biobío (center-south) regions. The sources of accidents also affect the regions of Maule and La Araucanía.
President Gabriel Boric decided to suspend his vacation and arrived this Friday as far as Biobío and Ñuble.
“We are going to be carrying out patrols throughout the area. The most important thing now is to put out the fires. The State is deployed for that,” Boric said.
“We are not going to leave them alone”, was the most repeated phrase of the president, added AFP.
President Gabriel Boric decided to suspend his vacations and arrived this Friday as far as Biobío and Ñuble.
Regarding the origin of the forest fires, the president announced that “there are indications that some were caused by unauthorized burning,” adding that “there is no authorization to burn garbage, or agricultural waste, or anything.”
Boric called on people to prevent any event that could lead to a future fire and stated that “once the emergency is put out, we will take charge and accompany the communities and victims in everything necessary.”
“The Armed Forces and Carabineros are going to be patrolling and carrying out preventive patrols throughout the area,” added the head of state.
The declaration of the state of catastrophe, a state of constitutional exception, allows measures such as the provision of additional resources to control the emergency and go to the aid of those affected, as well as restricting the use of military forces in this emergency situation.
The fires broke out in the midst of an extreme heat wave with records above 41ºC and a severe and prolonged drought.
The fires broke out in the middle of an extreme heat wave with records above 41ºC and in the middle of a severe and prolonged drought.
In this context, the Prosecutor’s Office announced the arrest of two people linked to the generation of fires in the Biobío and La Araucanía regions.
In the fire fight 75 aircraft and more than 2,300 brigade members workwhile Minister Tohá announced the hiring of another 10 aircraft and was considering leasing more aircraft abroad.
