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Regional Fire Committee Reports Increase in Forest Fires in Arica

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• CONAF announced the formation of the Forest Fire Control Unit, with 8 full-time firefighters dedicated to combating fires starting in 2025.

Forest fires have increased by 120%, most of them caused by uncontrolled grassland burns on agricultural properties in the Arica and Parinacota region. This was reported by the regional director of the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF), Lino Antezana Navarro, during the Regional Fire Committee meeting held this Tuesday, July 30, in Arica.

The committee is composed of key authorities from the Fire Department; SENAPRED; BIDEMA of the PDI; the Army's forest brigades, BRIFE; the Public Prosecutor's Office; the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC); Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG); Municipality of Arica; Regional Ministerial Secretary of Agriculture; and professionals from CONAF's Forest Fire Prevention Unit (UPRIF).

According to the regional authority, 11 fires occurred between July 1, 2023, and July 1, 2024, which corresponds to the Corporation's fire calendar year—a 120% increase compared to the previous period (2022–2023), when there were only 5 fires.

Additionally, forest fires rose by 38% compared to the figures recorded in the last five-year period (2019–2023), while the months with the highest fire occurrences since 2017 to date are January, February, August, and December.

Antezana explained, "Most of these forest fires result from unauthorized burns that spiral out of control, located in agricultural areas difficult to access for both firefighters and brigades, hindering effective fire control efforts and often leading to the loss of protected species."

When this happens, CONAF is authorized to issue corresponding fines for violations of Law 20,283, reporting the situation to the relevant authorities.

BURN NOTICES

On the other hand, the regional director explained that there was also an increase in burn notices for the same period (2023–2024), reaching a total of 645 notifications. Of these, only 470 were requested between January 1 and July 1, 2024.

"It is important that when a person notifies CONAF about a planned burn, they commit to ensuring minimum safety conditions on the land and follow the guidelines provided by UPRIF professionals, so we don’t later regret large-scale fires, like the one in Belén with 32 hectares burned in 2023 or Camarones with 47 hectares in 2022."

Finally, Lino Antezana reminded the community that authorized burn times are in the Azapa Valley between 7:00 AM and 1:00 PM; in the Lluta Valley between 8:00 AM and 2:00 PM; and in Pampa Concordia between 1:00 PM and 6:00 PM.