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Wave of intentional fires threatens communities near Concepción

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• Over 540 families live under the constant threat of arson in the areas of Chaimávida, El Pino, and Santa Eliana.

The peace of communities located between Chaimávida and El Pino, just 30 minutes from downtown Concepción, has been severely disrupted by a series of 20 intentional fires. Alarm has spread among the more than 540 resident families, who now face the fear of a latent danger both day and night.

In an emergency meeting organized by the Community Prevention Network, attended by representatives from the affected communities, the National Forestry Corporation (Conaf), firefighters, the Municipality of Concepción, and the company Arauco, compelling evidence of the intentional nature of the fires was presented. The blazes, occurring within an 8-square-kilometer radius and approximately 800 meters apart, have taken place in hard-to-access areas, suggesting that the perpetrator(s) possess an in-depth knowledge of the terrain.

Gladys Muñoz, president of the El Pino Neighborhood Council, expressed the community's concern and announced enhanced surveillance measures in collaboration with the municipality and Arauco. Rodolfo Ceballos, Head of Landscape at Robles de Coyanmahuida (Arauco), emphasized the need for a new strategy to address the situation, given the clear intentionality and pattern of the fires.

Among the agreed-upon actions to combat this threat are strengthening communication among neighbors, increasing day and night surveillance, creating a community nighttime alert strategy, and developing a plan by Arauco with arson experts. Additionally, the community is urged to report any suspicious activity to facilitate increased patrols by Carabineros (Chilean police).

Francisco Contreras, from the Risk and Emergency Management Office of the Municipality of Concepción, called on the community to collaborate in prevention efforts and jointly confront these criminal acts. Despite the coordination and efforts made so far, which have prevented the fires from escalating, the situation requires well-defined planning and strategies.

The community remains alert and committed to fighting these acts that endanger not only their homes but also the natural environment and biodiversity of the region.