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Forest fires in the Metropolitan Region: Fires increase by 44% while affected area decreases by 43%

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According to a report by the National Forestry Corporation (Conaf) on Saturday morning, 693 forest fires have been recorded in the Metropolitan Region from July 2024 to date, affecting an area of 4,869 hectares.

This figure represents a 44% increase in the number of fires compared to the previous season, but with a 43% reduction in the damaged area.

"However, despite the decrease, considering the rise in forest fires, this could have meant an impact of over 18,000 hectares affected. In other words, we had more fires but fewer hectares damaged. This is due to the coordination and response capacity in tackling these forest fires, largely thanks to the teams deployed throughout this season," explained Gonzalo Durán, the Presidential Delegate of the Metropolitan Region.

Regarding the most affected areas, the province of Chacabuco recorded the highest number of fires, with 188 incidents and 3,004 hectares burned, accounting for 61% of the regional damage. It is followed by Melipilla, where 933 hectares have been burned, equivalent to 19% of the regional total.

Across the entire region, four large-scale fires have been recorded, a 60% decrease compared to the previous year. Among them, the fire in El Manzano 2 stands out, affecting 1,165 hectares.

Meanwhile, Conaf's director, Rodrigo Illesca, explained that while people once referred to a fire "season," nowadays there is a higher recurrence of these events between September and May because "with climate change and prolonged drought periods, fuel is available year-round."

Source:Emol.com