Municipalities and Conaf fine-tune fire plans: drills and resources still pending

Less than three months from summer, coordination between Conaf and the municipalities of Biobío is back at the center of debate.

The fires that affected Penco, Tomé and Concepción in January left mayors and national authorities with a question: how much of the prevention work will be completed before temperatures rise, and how much still depends on resources, meetings or future works?

Conaf announced that Tomé and Hualqui are among the communes prioritized for the 2026-2027 season and mentioned Trinitarias, in Concepción, as an area of special concern.

The institution stated that it has already delivered prevention plans to the municipalities, while it defines the distribution of its operational capabilities. Diario Concepción consulted local authorities about the planned works and the protocols agreed with the forestry agency.

Concepción: prevention and drills pending

Concepción's emergency coordinator, Francisco Durán, stated that the municipality maintains ongoing work with Conaf and the response system.

According to his explanation, the plan received allows efforts to be concentrated on the urban-rural interface, where homes are most exposed. There, vegetation management, clearing of critical points and preparation for a possible evacuation are considered. He assured that the works began months ago and will continue throughout the season.

Durán indicated that a communal Cogrid will be held this week to review protocols with the participating agencies. He also reported that Mayor Héctor Muñoz requested evacuation drills. One scheduled for this Saturday was suspended due to an emergency that occurred during the week, and a new date has yet to be set.

The official stated that the information given to residents during the past fires allowed for timely evacuations and that Concepción recorded no fatalities. "That is precisely the standard we want to maintain and strengthen," he said.

Penco: sectors defined, schedule yet to be met

In Penco, the municipality stated that it prepared a Forest Fire Protection Plan with Conaf. It identified as priorities Ríos de Chile, Rahue, Lirquén, VIPLA, Playa Negra, La Greda and Primer Agua, among other sectors.

The municipality scheduled for October and November the clearing of hillside access routes, removal of vegetative fuel and firebreaks.

Among the planned locations are Ríos de Chile, Jaime Lea Plaza, Parque Los Pinos, Villa Belén, Forjadores, Lomas de Peumo and La Greda. According to its assessment, municipal action covered approximately seven kilometers of firebreaks, plus the work of private parties and Conaf. It did not specify how many new kilometers will be ready before summer or the budget for those works.

Penco reported permanent patrols and surveillance with thermal drones, initially in Coihueco and Cruce Los Varones, together with Firefighters and Carabineros. Regarding the national program announced by the Government and Conaf, which according to the municipality includes 9,480 jobs and about 1,380 kilometers of firebreaks between October and December, it stated that it is still awaiting the definition of resources for Penco and Lirquén.

In the event of a hotspot, the municipality described a protocol to dispatch nearby Conaf resources, add aerial means if possible and coordinate with Firefighters if homes are threatened.

However, it acknowledged that it has not yet held a Cogrid this season dedicated to fires: emergencies from frontal systems have concentrated its work. The forest drill also has no defined date. The municipality announced an upcoming meeting of the Greater Concepción Preventive Forest Fire Association and requested that the mixed commission processing the Fire Law hold a session in Penco.

Florida and Los Ángeles: coordination and resources

From Florida, the municipal emergency coordinator, Raúl Parra, reported that it is working with Conaf on a preventive corridor for the urban area.

The risk points are identified, he said, although an exact map does not yet exist. The commune has agreements with Conaf, the Prevention Network and other municipalities; it has also already conducted evacuation exercises and scheduled a meeting for this Monday about the next drill. Parra added that communal Cogrids have been held with the participation of residents from the 22 emergency committees.

In Los Ángeles, Mayor José Pérez Arriagada warned that the fires of the last three years, together with heat and winds, make it necessary to improve firefighting capabilities. He assured that he raised with the Minister of Agriculture the need for larger aircraft. "Large fires are fought with large aircraft."

The communal director of Security, Miguel Ángeles Irribarra, reported that firebreaks and campaigns have already begun, and that owners who fail to clear their properties when they put other homes at risk will be notified and fined.

Conaf's regional director, Álvaro González, warned at an event in Los Ángeles that the alternation of rain and sun can make weeds grow until November, before they dry out. According to the data provided there, the commune recorded 86 forest fires and 4,871.39 hectares burned in the last year.

Source:Diario Concepción