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Surface area affected by wildfires in the Los Lagos Region decreased by 88%

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The surface area affected by wildfires in the Los Lagos Region decreased by 88.09% during the last season, from December 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025.

"We cannot declare victory because the season is not over. There have been serious fires, which makes us think the season remains very active. Recently, there was a red alert in Castro, and now there is one in Cochamó," said Miguel Ángel Leiva, regional director of Conaf.

The authority attributed the decline in affected hectares to the response of emergency agencies.

Referring to Conaf's statistics, he stated that the region has recorded 290 wildfires to date, with a total of 358 hectares affected. "There are 21 fewer fires and 2,647 fewer hectares affected by these incidents," he specified.

In comparison, the previous season saw 311 wildfires that burned 3,005 hectares of forests, grasslands, and vegetation.

Rainfall

A striking factor is the lack of rain during the last summer, which could not have contributed to this decrease in burned area. The rainfall deficit is 35.4%.

According to the Southern Regional Meteorological Analysis Center, located at El Tepual Airport, 147.6 millimeters of rain have fallen to date, compared to 167.2 millimeters accumulated at the same time last year. The normal amount for this date should be 228.4 millimeters.

For meteorologist Carlos Caviedes, several days of intense rain (more than 80 millimeters) could change the scenario observed during the last summer.

Caviedes revealed that a frontal system is approaching this weekend, bringing rain and strong winds, but it will not be enough to overcome the deficit, as these precipitations are not expected to exceed 30 millimeters.

"A typical frontal system for the region will arrive, with strong winds and rain. Early Saturday morning, the north wind will be felt, more or less intense, along with precipitation," he noted.

Today, a high of 21 degrees Celsius and some light showers are expected. "Thursday will have similar conditions, with cloudy skies and a (maximum) temperature ranging between 18 and 20 degrees," he observed.

Yesterday in Puerto Montt, in the middle of autumn, a maximum temperature of 27.2 degrees Celsius was recorded at 3:34 p.m. According to the meteorologist, this is a phenomenon that can occur approximately every ten years.

Awareness

According to Luis Toledo, a master in Civil Protection and Emergency Management and a journalist, to accurately determine the decrease in wildfires, other meteorological variables such as temperature, wind speed, and direction must be reviewed, in addition to rainfall.

"I believe the population has become aware of the risks of wildfires, especially interface fires due to their proximity to inhabited areas, leading to timely alerts to emergency response agencies when fire or smoke is spotted. This has allowed fires to be attacked quickly and effectively, preventing their spread and limiting the affected area," he explained.

Toledo stated that the construction of firebreaks to protect high-risk zones has been highly effective in preventing fires and their spread. "In the case of Puerto Montt, the area of firebreaks was increased tenfold," he emphasized.

There were 21 fewer wildfires in the current 2024-2025 season compared to the previous 2023-2024 period.

Source:Diario Austral Osorno