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Prosecution's Investigations to Be Strengthened to Locate Those Responsible for Forest Fires

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• While Minister Carolina Tohá in Los Ángeles stated that "there is not a strong capacity to identify culprits," the Governor of Biobío, Rodrigo Díaz, pointed out the need to improve "bringing to trial and convicting those who cause fires."

Strengthening the work of the Prosecution's teams in tracking down those responsible for forest fires is one of the actions authorities will undertake ahead of the 2024-2025 wildfire season in the Southern Macrozone.

During Interior Minister Carolina Tohá's visit to the area, the need for more robust strategies for the Public Prosecutor's Office was discussed, ensuring they can present solid evidence in court against suspects of causing fires during the summer season.

"THERE IS NOT A STRONG CAPACITY TO IDENTIFY CULPRITS"

On this matter, Minister Tohá noted that "the most telling aspect of forest fires is realizing that the fire that claimed the most lives in recent years was in the Valparaíso region, with proven intent."

For this reason, she emphasized that the work of prosecutors handling investigations into intentional forest fires will be strengthened. "Unfortunately, in many cases where there is intent, there is not a strong capacity to identify the culprits and bring them to justice," she acknowledged.

Therefore, she pointed to addressing "how to reinforce the teams carrying out this task, from the Prosecution leading the investigations, because part of this work involves prevention but also punishment. To the extent that we confront the fact that starting fires and endangering people and their livelihoods does not go unpunished, this deters such behavior in the future. That is one of the tasks we are taking from here."

"AN ASPECT TO IMPROVE IS BRINGING TO TRIAL AND CONVICTING"

For his part, Biobío Regional Governor Rodrigo Díaz also addressed the need to strengthen the Prosecution's work and secure convictions for those responsible for fires. "All wildfires in Chile are intentional, and therefore, an aspect to improve is that, with data from Conaf and forestry companies, the Public Prosecutor's Office brings perpetrators to trial and convicts them."

The regional authority mentioned that he asked Minister Tohá for help "since we have a fire season that started in July, and fires are already occurring. Additionally, there has been heavy rainfall, so we will have abundant vegetation. I asked for assistance in correctly interpreting the law aimed at protecting us from environmental pollution."

He argued that "we have regulations for saturated zones in Gran Concepción and Los Ángeles, which concentrate 75% of the region's population, but if we don’t burn the undergrowth that has grown now, we will have fires. We must act now to prevent disasters because when they happen, people get burned, and pollution is much worse than in controlled burns."

MUNICIPALITIES TAKE THE LEAD IN PREVENTION

Regional Director of Senapred, Alejandro Sandoval, also spoke, highlighting the importance of community-led prevention efforts. "A factor that positively influenced last season was that municipalities became protagonists, and now we hope to continue working with them, along with other system members who contribute resources and knowledge," he said.

In his view, "the work of the community prevention network is commendable—a non-governmental organization that worked with committees in rural areas, alongside Conaf and its prepared communities."

In this context, he mentioned that last season, the municipality of Los Ángeles formed over 14 committees that "actively worked with the community on prevention matters, and we believe this is the model to replicate and that local authorities should start developing."

Source: digital print edition ofLa Tribuna