The regional authorities emphasized the remarkable 88 % decrease in the affected surface, 364 hectares compared to 3,032 last season, which shows a substantial improvement in operational efficiency and in the emergency response capacity, highlighting the professionalism that the National Forest Corporation (Conaf) and the National Prevention and Response System in this area have reached.
The province of Chiloé concentrated the largest amount of accidents (45 %), although with lower damage per event, while Osorno, despite having less fires, presented the largest average affected surface. For this season there were three helicopters permanently in Puerto Montt, Chiloé and Palena. And for the first time there was an aircraft (AT) aircraft with a capacity of 2,000 liters of water. The aircraft was permanently in Osorno, but willing to operate throughout the Los Lagos region.
The regional presidential delegate, Paulina Muñoz, emphasized that “the affectation of forest fires in the region showed good figures, because the affected surface was reduced, which implies an important work that we had as a government. This reflects the important investment in equipment, with three helicopters, plus an AT plane permanently arranged in the region, with a budget investment of about 5 billion pesos. CONAF brigades, firefighters, municipal teams and many institutions. ”
Meanwhile, the Seremi of Agriculture, Tania Salas, said that “we are closing the forest fire season, with positive numbers already favor. We had 364 hectares affected compared to the 3,032 hectares of last season. This is the result of a job of many institutions, but always supported by the community. Each fire worked on time and that is thanks to the great work of Conaf and several institutions.”
Finally, Miguel Leiva, Regional Director of Conaf Los Lagos, said that “we want to thank many institutions that helped us this season. We want to thank firefighters, Carabineros de Chile, to the Municipality of Puerto Montt. I want to thank the regional delegate, all delegations, our agriculture seremi for all their support”.
The Forest Fire Summary this season: Osorno Province with 35 fires and 155 hectares affected; Province of Llanquihue with 121 fires and 128 hectares; Chiloé with 137 fires and 57 hectares; and the province of Palena with 11 fires and 22 hectares affected.
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