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Forest Fires Have Decreased by 11% Over the Last Five Years in Ñuble
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The National Forestry Corporation (Conaf) participated this week in the second extended session of the Regional Disaster Risk Management Committee (Cogrid) of Ñuble, as well as in the Provincial Cogrids of Punilla and Itata, with the aim of planning joint work for the upcoming period of heightened forest fire risk in the region.
At these meetings, held at the facilities of Senapred Ñuble, the Presidential Provincial Delegation of Punilla, and the Quirihue Community Hospital, the Forest Fire Protection Department team of Conaf Ñuble presented a summary of the last fire season and provided guidelines to strengthen prevention and interinstitutional response in the coming months.
In this regard, it is worth recalling that during the 2024-2025 period, Ñuble recorded 445 declared forest fires, affecting 5,814 hectares, making it the fourth region with the largest damaged area nationwide, behind La Araucanía (55,771 ha), Biobío (8,827 ha), and the Metropolitan Region (6,241 ha).
The regional director of Conaf Ñuble, Juan Salvador Ramírez, emphasized the importance of the Cogrid meetings to "strengthen interinstitutional work in the prevention, mitigation, and control of forest fire emergencies, which unfortunately are increasing globally in both the number of incidents and damage, as we have recently seen in several European countries and in Canada, where a delegation of Conaf firefighters, including seven staff members from Ñuble, recently traveled to provide support in firefighting efforts. This is the scenario we aim to prevent year after year in Chile, particularly in our region, which is why it is essential to fine-tune coordination among all relevant stakeholders."
Ramírez added that joint efforts have shown significant progress in the region, as "over the last five years, there has been an 11% decrease in the occurrence of fires and a 60% reduction in the affected area, but we cannot become complacent. On the contrary, we must share responsibility and strengthen prevention, involving municipalities, public services, and civil society as a whole," he stressed.
Meanwhile, the acting regional director of Senapred Ñuble, Cristian Matus, noted that although "Conaf and the Ministry of Agriculture are not part of the provincial COGRIDs, they are key players in territorial coordination to address these emergencies. In particular, their presentations have not only provided an overview of ongoing efforts but also serve as specific support for strengthening response capabilities at the regional and provincial levels."
For his part, the presidential provincial delegate of Itata, Mario Cruces, highlighted "the willingness and capacity for intersectoral coordination ahead of the period of highest forest fire risk, which in our case will significantly influence the joint strategies we intend to implement with the seven municipalities of Itata Province."
Finally, the Regional Minister of Agriculture of Ñuble, Antonio Arriagada, who was also present at these meetings, reminded everyone that "the selection process for forest firefighters for the 2025-2026 period is now open. At the regional level, this requires hiring 197 men and women starting this September and for the entire season. Interested applicants should review the requirements and apply through the website www.conaf.cl."
Source:La Discusión
