Government in the field: the measures and actions that have been taken to combat the forest fire emergency

The serious state of emergency generated by the fires in central-southern Chile has mobilized a significant amount of human and financial resources to help the affected families. From day one, the country’s highest authorities also traveled to work in the field and learn about the immediate needs of those affected. 

From the President to a number of ministers, authority figures have coordinated in liaison with the Government, accompanying the victims and making it clear that the State will not leave any family without support. 

Some of the main actions that have been carried out are highlighted below: 

Liaison ministers 

One of the first measures taken by President Gabriel Boric was to send ministers to coordinate the aid needed in the areas affected by the forest fires. 

Ten members of the Cabinet are currently deployed throughout the national territory: 

Metropolitan Region 

Health Minister Ximena Aguilera 

O’Higgins Region 

Energy Minister Diego Pardow

Maule Region 

Women and Gender Equity Minister Antonia Orellana

Ñuble Region 

Agriculture Minister Esteban Valenzuela

Biobío Region 

Public Works Minister Juan Carlos García

La Araucanía Region 

Social Development and Family Minister Giorgio Jackson

Los Ríos Region 

National Assets Minister Javiera Toro

* Education Minister Marco Antonio Ávila is also examining the situation of educational establishments in the areas affected by the fires. 

* Environment Minister Maisa Rojas has also been deployed to the Biobío Region, and Transport Minister Juan Carlos Muñoz will soon join the ministers who are coordinating in the field. 

Ten Tanker

The Government has spared no effort and used a significant number of resources to deal with the forest fires. In this regard, one of the tools that the Government has made available is the Ten Tanker. 

The tanker plane is the largest that is operating in the emergency area. It is playing an important role, as it has a water release capacity of 35,000 liters. 

The tank system can launch a full charge of retardant in four seconds from between 60 and 90 meters above ground level, at a speed of 277 km/hr. It can therefore quickly reach the areas where it is required. 

Preventive closure of national parks and reserves 

Another of the measures taken from day one to safeguard our country’s natural heritage was to decree the indefinite closure of several parks and natural reserves that are located in the areas affected by forest fires. 

There are currently closures in place between the Coquimbo and La Araucanía regions. In some cases, they are preventive, in others indefinite because of the state of catastrophe. Others have been closed due to poor access conditions caused by the fires. 

For details of closed parks and reserves, you can visit: https://www.conaf.cl/. 

International aid 

Thanks to the efforts of our authorities, a significant number of friendly countries have collaborated with us, sending brigade members, technical equipment and economic aid to Chile. 

• 50 professionals from the Military Emergency Unit (UME) have arrived from Spain, bringing the most up-to-date technology. 
• A total of 27 forest brigade members have arrived from Colombia, with firefighters, police units from the telecommunications team and medical care personnel. 
• 25 brigade members have arrived from Argentina with 4x4 vehicles. 
• 55 brigade members have arrived from Ecuador who are specialists in fighting forest fires. 
• A total of 300 people have arrived from Mexico, among them brigade members and specialists from the National Forestry Commission, the Army and the Air Force. 
• 53 Humanitarian Task Force brigade members have arrived from Venezuela. 
• Brazil has collaborated with 60 brigade members who are experts in forest fires. 

Application of the Basic Emergency Form (FIBE) 

Since the start of the emergency, officials from the Social Development and Family Ministry at the central and regional level have been deployed alongside municipal teams in areas where the fires have already been stabilized. Their goal has been to start the cadaster of the homes affected by the fires and determine the state support that individuals and families require. 

To Thursday, February 9, 1,622 households have been registered throughout Chile: 310 in the Ñuble Region; 920 in the Biobío Region; and 391 in La Araucanía Region. 

CONAF Red Button 

In the midst of the emergency, the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF) decided to use the “Red Button”, an innovative tool to prevent forest fires. 

The Red Button is a predictive system that reports on the appearance of conditions that are favorable for large-scale fires to occur and propagate. 

The Red Button is activated when the probability of ignition is 70% or more and wind speed is above 20 kilometers per hour. If the Red Button is activated within a municipality, it means that there is a high probability of simultaneous forest fires. 

If the above occurs, an alert is issued in the territory that warns of conditions conducive to the start and spread of fires. 

Shelters set up 

The emergency has meant that many people have lost their homes or have had to abandon them as a result of preventive evacuation. A number of shelters have been set up for these people, especially in the areas most affected by the fires. 

These facilities are currently available in the Biobío, Ñuble and La Araucanía regions. Plans are also in place to open new shelters in other areas if required. 

Faena Cero (Zero Work) 

To avoid any further risk of forest fire, given the current circumstances, the Agriculture Ministry has decided to apply the “Faena Cero” policy. It is an agreement between authorities and the different stakeholders involved in agriculture. 

The policy means that until April it is prohibited to engage in agricultural burning between the Coquimbo and Los Lagos regions. Authorities have called on people to comply with the Faena Cero agreement. 

Curfew 

Another of the measures taken by the Government to offer greater peace of mind to the families affected by the fires and allow task forces to work faster has been the decision to apply a curfew in the most affected municipalities of the Ñuble, Biobío and La Araucanía regions. 

28 municipalities in total are subject to the regulation, which applies between midnight and 5am. A safe-conduct pass can be requested via the police force’s online website, the Comisaría Virtual, for special and specific cases. 

Help for farmers 

One of the sectors most affected by the forest fires has been agriculture. For this reason, Agriculture Minister Esteban Valenzuela has announced a series of aid measures that will be provided to those affected by the fires. 

Among them are the allocation of $1.2 billion Chilean pesos (US$1.512 million) from the National Institute of Agricultural Development (INDAP) and $300 million pesos (US$377,715) from the Agriculture Undersecretary’s Office to support farmers. The Agriculture Ministry has therefore reached a budget of $1.5 billion pesos (US$1.89 million) for the first package of support measures. 

Measures also include the provision of animal feed in regions affected by the emergency, immediate emergency funding for food and drink for animals and beekeeping, emergency health operations via the Agricultural and livestock Service (SAG), a collaboration and transfer agreement between INDAP and SAG to purchase supplies, and veterinary procedures to provide emergency assistance to animals that have survived the catastrophe. 

There will also be automatic extensions of INDAP credits and agricultural insurance for INDAP users.