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CONAF Brigade Members Receive Civic Recognition for Their Work Fighting Fires in Ñuble

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The CONAF Ñuble Brigades received civic recognition for their invaluable work in combating forest fires during a ceremony that brought together authorities and representatives from communities across the region.

The event took place at the Municipal Theater of Chillán, where the dedication, extensive technical response capacity, and especially the efforts deployed during the ongoing 2024-2025 high-risk forest fire season were highlighted. To date, the season has seen 364 fires affecting 5,573 hectares. However, tens of thousands of hectares of native vegetation and plantations, as well as 500 rural homes, have been saved from the flames in various emergencies across the region.

CONAF's executive director, Aida Baldini, stated, "Many neighbors came, and we were happy to see them here—people who have experienced forest fire emergencies, who have had fires threatening their homes, and whose houses we managed to save. I believe the work of the brigade members is highly commendable for the physical effort and the conviction required to defend natural resources and people."

The national authority added, "This is a modest recognition from this region, where our brigade members accomplished truly significant feats, such as containing the San Patricio fire before it reached two thousand hectares—something rare given the topographic conditions, as such fires often spread across tens of thousands of hectares. Additionally, despite the steep terrain, we only had two minor injuries, which is noteworthy."

Meanwhile, Ñuble's regional presidential delegate, Rodrigo García, thanked the presence of national authorities and emphasized that the ceremony was "also part of the commemoration of these three years of President Gabriel Boric's administration, during which we have achieved very positive results in public safety, progress on emblematic projects, and unlocking energy development. Regarding CONAF and its brigade members, their commitment and deployment in fighting forest fires and mitigating damage—which could have been exponentially worse this season—have been invaluable."

Risks, Satisfactions, and Lessons

During the ceremony, attendees learned about the true scale of the work carried out by the men and women of CONAF Ñuble's 21 forest brigades through an illustrative video showcasing ground, aerial, and mechanized resources deployed during the region's major emergencies in the 2024-2025 period.

Luis Guzmán, leader of the "Lleuque 2" Brigade, with 28 seasons of experience, explained, "The greatest satisfaction in this job is providing protection to the community, especially small rural landowners. Our efforts always focus on rescuing their homes, forests, plantations, and crops. It's risky work because fire behavior—especially influenced by wind and terrain—is always unpredictable."

The event also featured testimonies from neighbors who have witnessed firsthand the brigade members' firefighting efforts.

Marcelo Ruiz, director of the "Conserva Tu Bosque" Foundation and resident of Los Pellines—near the San Patricio fire-affected area—said, "There are important lessons to take from an emergency like this, both for communities and institutions. Most people have no idea how fires are fought, and sometimes they become overly alarmist. I believe there’s work to be done in preventive education."