Emanuel Tula, one of our forestry technicians, traveled to Chile to gather valuable data and analysis information about the catastrophe that occurred in the center-south zone of Chile, which left more than 100 people dead and around 1,000 homes affected in the communes of Viña del Mar, Quilpué, Villa Alemana and Limache, in the region of Valparaíso.
Undoubtedly, it must be one of the largest forest fire tragedies in Latin America in an interface zone. Several simultaneous fires on forest vegetation, rapid advance speed with the consequent entry into areas with houses, becoming structural fires. This disaster affected homes of all types: complete wooden constructions, others with concrete, zinc sheets and wood on the roofs. Apartments of buildings affected in specific places by open windows and large smoke columns located above the settlements.
On the other hand, it is possible to observe a settlement with preventive forest treatments, especially with a firebreak strip around it.