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Guilds Criticize That Forest Fire Law Does Not Include Prevention or Penalties for Intentionality

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Amid the wildfire season, various sector guilds are warning about the potential shortcomings of the new Law on Prevention and Mitigation of Forest Fires if key aspects such as prevention and penalties for intentional fires are not addressed.

According to René Muñoz of the Association of Forestry Contractors, the legal initiative must include tools for the Public Prosecutor's Office, Carabineros, and the PDI to investigate and penalize those responsible for starting fires, considering that 53% of them are intentional.

The new law must include measures leading to exemplary penalties, said the president of the College of Forestry Engineers, Simón Berti, emphasizing the low number of cases in which the Prosecutor's Office manages to identify those responsible for forest fires.

Additionally, the guild leader added, the regulation must impose preventive measures, such as military patrols—something currently absent, he noted, in the bill introduced and promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture.

When consulted, Senator Enrique van Rysselberghe stated that even more concerning than the guilds' remarks is the stalled discussion in Congress about the forest fire law, as those supporting the government's initiative are at odds with another proposal presented by left-wing representatives.

Although the guilds have been heard in Parliament, none of their proposals—they accused—have been included so far in the Executive's bill.

Source:Channel 9