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Forest Fire in Lebu: The Business of Fire Linked to Timber Theft and Firewood Sales

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On November 16, 2025, while many were focused on the election day, in Lebu, concern centered on a forest fire that occurred in a rural area of the commune.

The fire caught the attention of authorities, as the day's weather conditions included a temperature around 14°C and a relative humidity of 51%. This demonstrates that there were no conditions for rapid flame spread, but the emergency gave way to various theories and speculations among neighbors and officials.

As hours passed, the hypothesis gaining the most traction in the commune points to the illegal sale of dry wood during the winter, an activity that could benefit from this type of fire.

The mayor of Lebu, Marcela Tiznado, stated that "there is not yet a fully confirmed cause with clear judicial responsibility for the latest forest fire, but the strongest hypothesis is intentionality."

Forest Fires for Timber Theft

Amid the investigations of these forest fires, a factor arises that raises suspicion due to the circulation of trucks carrying firewood.

Ramón Figueroa, President of the Forest Protection Department of Corma, detailed that "we have systematically observed a series of fires linked to the theft of wood for firewood in areas such as Hualqui, Penco, and Lebu, where it is common to see trucks transporting and selling firewood."

Figueroa pointed out that "this type of irregular activity not only affects companies and owners but also creates risk conditions that can lead to larger emergencies. We are facing temperature conditions and seeing very complex situations, and any fire can get out of control."

The mayor of Lebu, Marcela Tiznado, considered that "in the intentionality of forest fires, no hypothesis can be ruled out; as a municipality, we have no formal complaints."

The Preventive Association of Forest Fires, meanwhile, also expressed concern about these types of actions, as "for years, it has been discussed in several communes that there are people who see fire as a way to 'do business' with burned wood. As municipalities, when we receive such information, we make it available to the competent institutions," stated the organization's president, the mayor of Penco, Rodrigo Vera.

Source:Sabes.cl