The fire advances towards a house
Last night, at least 13 people were killed in the 204 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, and a Bolivian pilot and a Chilean mechanic who got into a helicopter that was on duty to fight this fire,” Mauricio said. 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.
“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.
According to the authorities, more than 200 fires have devastated more than 47,000 hectares, leaving 97 houses completely destroyed and 22 injured, eight of them seriously. Of the 204 active fires, 56 are out of control.
The tragedy of 2017
The situation, which is far from being controlled, brings to mind the catastrophe that took place in that area at the beginning of 2017.
Then there was a mega forest fire that left 11 dead, some 6,000 homeless, more than 1,500 homes destroyed and 467,000 hectares affected.
I have instructed to decree a State of Constitutional Exception of Catastrophe to fight the forest fires that affect the Biobío Region and ensure the safety of people. I will visit the Region of Ñuble and Biobío to accompany the families. We are with you!
—Gabriel Boric Font (@GabrielBoric) February 3, 2023
As in that year, the sources of fire began in agricultural areas and forests, and progressed until they threatened and affected 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 Juana, 52 km south of Concepción.
According to a neighbor, interviewed by Radio Cooperativa, the fire began to threaten the houses around 7 in the morning and by noon the flames practically surrounded the property, despite the efforts of its owner to prevent it.
“I only ask that God have mercy. That’s all. What happens is in the hands of God, ”she assured.
The Chilean government declared a state of catastrophe 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 came to Concepción later in the Ñuble region.
“We are going to be conducting patrols throughout the area. The most important thing now is to put out the fires. The State is deployed for that,” said the leftist ruler. “We are not going to leave them alone”, was the most repeated phrase of the president.
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, restricting the use of military forces in this emergency situation.
The fires, unleashed in the midst of an extreme heat wave with records above 41ºC and in the midst of a severe and prolonged drought, are 99% caused by human responsibility.
The Prosecutor’s Office announced precisely the arrest of two people linked to the generation of fires in the Biobío and La Araucanía regions.
75 aircraft and more than 2,300 brigade members are working in the fight against the fire, while Minister Tohá announced the hiring of another 10 aircraft and was considering leasing more aircraft abroad. (AFP)
