Pencahue Community Leads Fire Prevention with Autonomous Committee
In the Maule region, the commune of Pencahue took a significant step in wildfire prevention by forming the country's first autonomous Community Prevention Committee. This achievement is the result of a joint effort between the community and the Community Prevention Network, an initiative that emerged after the devastating 2017 fires that affected over 160 thousand hectares in the region.
The Los Cristales Committee of Pencahue, with a predominantly rural population, has demonstrated exemplary commitment in risk self-management and the implementation of preventive measures. Their work has been recognized by the Chilean Wood Corporation (Corma) as the best committee in the region and has set a precedent by graduating from the Community Prevention Network, establishing itself as a model to follow.
Luis Núñez Avendaño, from CMPC, highlights the importance of each community taking on the task of fire prevention, and the Los Cristales Committee has done precisely that. They have created firebreaks, involved neighbors through a WhatsApp group, and actively participated in the communal wildfire prevention board.
Renato Ramírez González, the committee coordinator, attributes the success to the community's responsibility and commitment. The WhatsApp group, in particular, has been key to strengthening the Prevention Network and keeping the community informed and engaged.
The Community Prevention Network, driven by CMPC, spans from the O'Higgins to Los Ríos regions and includes over 500 committees and 6 thousand people involved. CMPC has supported 150 of these committees, providing resources, training, and technical advice.
The Pencahue example demonstrates the power of collaboration and self-management in natural disaster prevention. The community has taken an active role in protecting its environment, and its success is an inspiration for other communities seeking to strengthen their response capacity to forest emergencies.
