With the deployment of a Preferential Investigation Team, the Ñuble PDI will seek to provide answers to the criminal responsibilities that exist during the forest fire season, which devastate our country every year, and which caused a catastrophe during the summer of this year. 2023.
As described by the head of the Ñuble prefecture, prefect Héctor Marín Farfán, “there is constant coordination with the Regional Ministerial Secretariat (Seremi) of Agriculture, the National Forestry Corporation (Conaf) and the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senapred). ), in which the work of the detectives will be focused on criminal investigation. In fact, this year, the Preferential Investigation Team received 59 decrees from the Public Ministry, considering orders to investigate and particular instructions, for forest fires that occurred between January 23 and May 29.”
In this context, the PDI highlighted that forest fires produce serious environmental consequences, affecting forests, bushes, grasslands and all living beings that inhabit them, including the human population.
Among the recommendations given by the superior officer are: firstly, “if you see a person who caused a forest fire or who was near the area and time of its start, report immediately and anonymously to the PDI, calling 134 Otherwise, you can go to the nearest police unit. It is useful to describe their physical characteristics, clothing, tattoos, scars or other elements that help with their identification.”
Likewise, Prefect Marín stated that photos, videos or audios can be provided as means of proof. “If a person saw a vehicle circulating near the area and time of start of the forest fire, it is important to record its license plate and color. If possible, identify other characteristics that make it different from the others, such as stickers, extra equipment, crashes or dents,” said the operational head of the PDI in Ñuble.
Another recommendation given by the head of the Ñuble Prefecture of the PDI is that “if a strange element is found at the site of the fire, it is suggested to photograph it from various angles without touching it or moving it, and then immediately notify the PDI.”
Finally, from the PDI they recalled that criminal legislation does not differentiate between intentional fires or due to carelessness, since it always constitutes a crime. In this context, the civil police called to be attentive to the restrictions by the authorities, in relation to the restrictions on the use of fire, even more so in the face of the approaching weather conditions.
