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The announcement was made by Camila Vallejo, spokesperson for the Chilean government. Vallejo stressed that more than directly fighting the flames, what is essential now “is that new fires not be generated.” For his part, President Gabriel Boric called for a debate on a new regulation of the forestry industry.
A statement that can fall like a bucket of cold water on those who directly combat the forest fires that affect the central and southern region of Chile. And it is that, according to Camila Vallejo, the minister spokesperson for the Government of Chile, it is expected that the “total extinction” of the flames will not happen until the first half of March.
Vallejo explained that the conflagrations can be controlled, but not extinct. “The important thing now is to have all the capabilities to manage to control the fires, so that they do not continue to expand, and then comes the extinction process so that they do not reactivate,” he pointed out.
According to the official, the key to control is to prevent new outbreaks from being generated. Vallejo also made a call to Chileans not to get involved in actions that could generate new fires. “Climate change creates favorable conditions for a fire to spread, but the main origin of the fires is, unfortunately, human action,” he highlighted.
In a new balance of the situation, the Minister of the Interior and Public Security of Chile, Carolina Tohá, delivered new figures on the incident. Currently, 321 fires are reported nationwide, eight less than on Thursday. Of these, 180 are under control. Firefighters, volunteers and international aid are fighting 94 of these outbreaks.
Regarding the curfew, Tohá affirmed that, in the areas where it has been applied, it has been welcomed in a satisfactory way by the residents, since it generates a sense of control. The minister urged citizens not to leave without the necessary safe-conduct to be able to transit while the limitation is in force.
Boric opens debate on forest industry regulation
The President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, stressed the importance of opening a debate for the creation of a new regulation of the forestry industry to strengthen the current model in the face of the challenges posed by climate change.
The president stressed that “we must raise a longer-term discussion with the issue of the forestry industry, of a different regulation.” In addition, he pointed out that today they are “joined together, the public and private sectors, to combat the emergency”, but that “in the future there must be a regulation to establish all the preventions against new fires”.
Boric also made a call for joint work for the future, to avoid another crisis like the one currently being experienced in the Latin American nation.
With EFE and local media
