Senate Approves Fire Law and Moves to Third Legislative Stage

After intense debate, the Senate approved the key bill for the prevention and mitigation of forest fires, sending it to a third legislative stage. The legislative proposal, which has been endorsed by the Upper House, introduces tools and strengthens existing ones to reduce the risk of fires across the national territory, with the aim of "getting there before the fire" and saving lives.

During the session, all norms that did not generate objections were approved, and various amendments and separate votes were supported. The bill establishes a regulatory framework that includes the definition of urban-rural interface zones and buffer zones, where property owners will be required to implement measures such as firebreaks and vegetation management. The National Forest Service will have the authority to oversee and sanction non-compliance with these preventive plans.

The law also promotes technical education and the use of agroforestry systems, as well as citizen co-responsibility in fire prevention. Urban planning regulations have been modified to facilitate the updating of territorial plans in response to disaster threats, and mechanisms for technical assistance for small producers have been established, in addition to improving coordination between public agencies for patrols and expert assessments.

Senators Alejandra Sepúlveda and Rodrigo Galilea, members of the Agriculture and Finance committees respectively, delivered detailed reports on the analysis and concerns related to the law's funding, fiscal impact, and property implications. Despite criticism about the potential "expropriatory features" of the bill, it was clarified that the law is not expropriatory and seeks to advance "social responsibility."

The debate also addressed economic sanctions for serious and very serious infractions, with fines of up to 1,000 and 3,000 monthly tax units, respectively. Despite the urgency expressed by some senators, given the delay of over two years in its processing, the importance of the law was highlighted in the context of recent forest tragedies that have affected the country.

The urgency note and the need for personnel preparation to face emergencies, as well as repair and oversight, were central topics in the debate. A call was made to improve technology and adopt a systemic vision in combating forest fires.

With this approval, the bill moves closer to implementation, with the hope that the new measures can prevent future catastrophes and protect both the population and national ecosystems.

WHAT DOES THE BILL AIM TO DO?

- Regulate the prevention and mitigation of forest fires, through the implementation of new management instruments and the strengthening of existing ones to prevent fires and, in case they occur, reduce their impact on people's lives, property, infrastructure, and the environment.

- Establishes new technical definitions in the field.

- Strengthens the capabilities of the National Forestry Corporation (Conaf) and provides more tools to the National Forest Service (Sernafor) regarding protection against forest fires.

- Enhances coordination with the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senapred) and with other public and private actors that promote and execute forest fire prevention and mitigation actions.

- Enshrines actions aimed at education, with a special focus on preparing organized communities.

- Regulates the use of fire and provides incentives for agroforestry.

- Establishes patrols to prevent intentional fires and the expert work of Senapred.

- Creates a system for reporting, inspections, infractions, sanctions, and procedures for non-compliance with the regulations.

- Amends the General Law of Urban Planning and Construction, establishing an agile mechanism for incorporating urban-rural interface zones into territorial planning instruments.