Chile Fights Fires with Regional and International Solidarity
President Boric visits with victims of fires in Chile. Image Credit- Gabriel Boric, Twitter.
Chile Fires

Chile Fights Fires with Regional and International Solidarity

Soledad Quartucci

Chile Fights Fires with Regional and International Solidarity

The forest fires that zapped the south of Chile left at least 24 dead, more than 970 injured and devastated some 270,000 hectares, authorities informed Sunday, at times when international aid began to reach the South American country.

At the end of the week, the Government of President Gabriel Boric expanded the “State of Catastrophe” to La Araucanía, which adds up to Ñuble and Biobío, the three regions most affected by the fire, characterized by intense agricultural and forestry activity.

Among other things, the measure makes it possible to deliver aid to those affected more quickly and mobilize resources.

By midday on Sunday, 260 fires were active in the country. Of them, 28 were considered “relevant,” assured the undersecretary of the Interior, Manuel Monsalve.

The official added that 1,475 people are in hostels and 26 hospitalized are in serious conditions.

On February 8, the BBC reported that three central regions of Chile are on high alert of forest fires amid a heatwave. Twenty-four people are confirmed to have died in the fires which have been raging for more than a week.

Thousands have been left homeless and it is feared that high temperatures could start fires in new regions of Chile.

“Almost 300,000 hectares have already gone up in flames in the regions of Ñuble, Maule, Biobío and Auracanía,” reports the BBC.

Chile requested international support to expedite the arrival of aircraft and brigades.

 

Chile Fights Fires with Regional and International Solidarity
President Boric visits with victims of fires in Chile. Image Credit- Gabriel Boric, Twitter.

 

Biobío region

On February 8, the President of Chile, Gabriel Boric Font, traveled to the Biobío region, where he visited the Santa Juana commune, which to date registers about 70% of its territory consumed by fires. He was accompanied by government official, Ana Bathrobe.

“Santa Juana is the hardest-hit place in terms of deaths, it hurts our souls and we want to avoid it, we have 24 deaths nationwide, 3 are from Santa Juana and we don’t want there to be one more,” the President said before to move to the rural area of Huallerehue.

 

 

After touring the affected area accompanied by neighbors, an instance where he also listened to their main concerns and was able to inform them about the deployment of the Government and the aid that it will provide for the affected families, President Boric went to the shelter set up in the C38 Lyceum New Zealand.

During the tour, he was also accompanied by the Minister of Public Works, Juan Carlos García, the Regional Governor, Rodrigo Díaz; the mayor of Concepción, Álvaro Ortiz and the presidential delegate, Daniela Dresdner.

 

 

In terms of announcements, the President of the Republic indicated that next Monday, February 13, payment of the Recovery Bond will begin, aimed at all families affected by the fires.

He also confirmed the establishment of curfews to guarantee the safety and tranquility of the families that have been affected by the emergency, which will be coordinated by the Chiefs of Defense who will be responsible for determining the provinces and hours.

 

 

In addition, the Head of State took advantage of valuing the work of the residents of the affected communes, noting that “the deployment is being immense thanks, also, mainly, to the inhabitants of the area. Here we are not going to resolve this from Santiago, we need to work very closely with the local authorities, with the neighborhood associations,”  adding that, “I have found neighborhood associations surveying burned places, this is the work of the tremendously important civil society organization.”

 

Chile Fights Fires with Regional and International Solidarity
President Boric visits with victims of fires in Chile. Image Credit- Gabriel Boric, Twitter.

 

The President confirmed that the ministers of his cabinet will continue to be deployed on the ground in the coming days, and that the aid provided by the Executive will continue to be added and thus face the crisis. “Only united are we going to get ahead of this catastrophe,” he concluded.

 

Chile Fights Fires with Regional and International Solidarity
President Boric visits with victims of fires in Chile. Image Credit- Gabriel Boric, Twitter.

 

Regional and International Assistance

Argentina expressed support and announced help on February 4th:

“Latin American solidarity is our greatest guide and makes us strong. We are always here to accompany you and help you in difficult times, such as this one. We are a region, a brotherhood of pueblos,” said president of Argentina, Alberto Fernandez.

“I have just talked with Alberto Fernandez to coordinate and thank the Argentine Republic for its support in fighting fires. In addition to brigade members, we will receive machinery. We are managing support from different countries to face an emergency. We won’t leave you alone!” tweeted Boric to Chileans.

 

 

The Minister of the Environment of Argentina, Minister Cabandie said,

“At the request of the president of Chile we will send resources to fight forest fires in the neighboring country. The following will arrive in Chile:

64 brigade members

5 4×4 trucks with equipment and attack kits

1 4×4 forest fire truck

A Boeing Chinook helicopter with 10,000 liters of capacity

 

“This would not have been possible without the constant budget increase that we assigned during our administration to the National Fire Management Service, which allowed us to equip and train thousands of forest brigade members throughout the country.

Fires have no borders, there is no country in the world that is exempt. The consequences of global warming, such as prolonged droughts and the increase in average temperature, create the conditions for any small focus to get out of control,” said Cabandie.

 

 

Ecuador

The Government of Ecuador offered support:

“Our solidarity with Chile, for the victims and the damage caused by the fires in the center and south of the country,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador in his Twitter account.

 

 

Spain

Pedro Sanchez, president of the Government of Spain sent support:

“In Spain we are well aware of the drama of #ForestFires. We have just sent a plane to Chile with a contingent from the @UMEgob to help put out and control the fires that are plaguing the country. All our support for the Chilean people,” announced Sanchez.

Boric replied:

“Thank you very much Pedro, to you and to the Spanish people, for this quick support in these difficult times. Solidarity crosses oceans!”

 

 

Spain’s help arrives:

The Military Emergency Unit (Ume) arrives from Spain to support the fight against #ForestFires. There are 50 professionals including experts, soldiers and pilots ready to join the coordination and work in the central south of the country to control the emergency, tweeted the Ministerio del Interior in Chile.

 

 

Colombia

President Gustavo Petro of Colombia announced Colombia’s solidarity:

“We will send a plane to Chile with material and people who are experts in putting out forest fires. The climate crisis is burning Chile.”

“Thank you comrade! Latin American unity makes every distance small. A fraternal hug,” said Boric.

 

 

Colombia’s help on its way:

“A self-sufficient brigade with 20 workers leaves for Chile with retardant liquid. A cargo plane with two Bambi Buckets,” tweeted Petro.

 

 

Colombia’s help arrives:

 

 

The United States 

The American Embassy in Chile posted a tweet with a link to follow the fires via satellite. Ambassador Meehan tweeted messages of support and details of help on the way, including donations, equipment and assistance for the victims.

 

 

Brazil

“I just spoke with the President @LulaOficial to manage the prompt arrival of support from Brazil to fight the fires. I deeply appreciate the Latin American help and cooperation!,” said Boric.

 

 

Lula sends support:

“I just spoke with the president Gabriel Boric about sending help from Brazilian teams and a specialized FAB plane to help fight the forest fires that are threatening entire cities in Chile,” said Lula.

 

 

Venezuela

Venezuela’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yván Gil, together with the Minister of Ecosocialism, Josué Lorca, sent Wednesday a brigade of forest firefighters bound for Chile, as part of the humanitarian aid to combat the fires that devastated various regions of the country.

From the Aeropuerto Internacional Simón Bolívar de Maiquetía, in the state of La Guaira, the Canciller reiterated the willingness of Venezuela to stand with Chile before the forest fires that affect that country and recalled that this group forms part of the Fuerza de Tarea Humanitaria Simon Bolivar.

“The brigade of the Humanitarian Task Force Simón Bolívar is at the forefront, together with the Republic of Chile, to deal with the difficult situation that this country is experiencing, where more than 300 thousand hectares are being affected by forest fires,” indicated the Minister Gil.

 

 

In Chile there are almost 300 fires that affect the center and south of the nation and that caused at least 24 deaths, burned around 300,000 hectares and destroyed 1,100 homes, leaving 3,000 people homeless, described the ministerio.

In the afternoon, the diplomat expressed, through his Twitter account @yvangil, that Venezuela is committed and in solidarity with the peoples of the Patria Grande and provides specialized technical support for the control and extinction of fires in Chile.

 

 

France

Emmanuel Macron, president of France announced his country’s support:

“Tragic fires ravage several regions of Chile. All my thoughts are with the families of the victims and the heroes who are struggling in the face of the flames. The Chilean people can count on the support of France to fight against this scourge.”

“Thank you my friend! I know I can count on your support,” responded Boric.

 

 

Cuba

This month Cuba expressed its solidarity with the people and government of Chile for the casualties and material damage caused by the forest fires that destroyed around 300,000 hectares of forests.

“We stand in solidarity with the people and government of #Chile for the loss of human and material lives caused by forest fires,” wrote Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel on his Twitter profile.

 

 

Mexico

“I thank the dear President of Mexico for sending 30 brigade members and 120 members of the Mexican army and air force, experts in firefighting, to Chile. International cooperation and Latin American support is present!” tweeted, Boric.

 

 

Marcelo Ebrard, Minister of Foreign Relations of Mexico had this to add:

“On instructions from President López Obrador, 180 brigade specialists in fire control have left for Chile in order to support the Civil Protection actions led by President Gabriel Boric. Mexico in solidarity!”

 

 

Government of Mexico sends humanitarian aid to Chile 

On February 5th, a contingent of 30 CONAFOR combatants and 127 members of the Army and the Mexican Air Force departed to assist Chile,  reported the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources in a press release.This is the largest international team of people that has traveled to Chile to collaborate in dealing with this contingency.

In response to the official request for support from the government of the Republic of Chile, the President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, instructed the Secretaries of National Defense (Sedena) and Foreign Relations (SRE), the Mexican Air Force (FAM ) and the National Forestry Commission (Conafor), to organize an aid mission that consists of sending a large contingent to Chile that will support the efforts to combat the serious forest fires that affect the regions of Bio Bío, La Araucanía and Ñuble, in the central-south zone “of the sister South American country.”

 

 

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador conveyed to President Gabriel Boric the solidarity of the people and the Government of Mexico with the people of Chile in the face of this unfortunate situation, and made firm support available to the Chilean authorities, if required, for sending more Mexican experts in firefighting.

He also conveyed his condolences to the relatives of the 25 people who have unfortunately died so far, and his solidarity with the more than 200 homeless families due to this crisis in various locations.

In a press release, the government of Mexico emphasized their solidarity in the region:

“With this operation, the Government of Mexico implements decisive action in the field of international cooperation for development and in support of a Latin American country with which we have strong historical and cultural ties.”

Chile’s Government Activates Measures

Subsidies, relief and tax exemptions are among the immediate solutions, reports EMOL. The Chilean government is activating measures to help areas affected by fires These are 13 initiatives, among which up to $1 million 500 thousand is contemplated for affected families in the regions of Ñuble, Biobío and La Araucanía.

The Government activated a series of measures to help the people affected by the intense forest fires that plague the center-south area of the country, which include economic and social aid.

These are a total of 13 measures, which were announced this morning by the Government spokesperson, Camila Vallejo, together with the Undersecretary of Social Services, Francisca Perales, which include a recovery fund for affected families of up to 1,500,000. freely available pesos, emergency housing, tax relief, employment support and veterinary care.

 

Dr. Soledad Quartucci | Founder

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