San Antonio carries out the First Forest Fire Preventive Cogrid of the 2024-2025 Season
Authorities warn of a high-risk season and call on citizens to take an active role in prevention and safety.
Last Friday, the First Committee for Risk and Disaster Management (Cogrid) to Prevent Forest Fires was held in the province of San Antonio, with a view to facing the 2024-2025 season in a coordinated and efficient manner. The event was attended by representatives of the six municipalities of the province, Firefighters, Carabineros, the Army, health and electrical companies, Senapred, Conaf, the Provincial Highway Directorate of the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) and the presidential delegate of San Antonio.
The main objective of this meeting was to refine the prevention and coordination strategies between all the institutions involved to deal with forest fires, a recurring problem in the area due to the geographical and climatic characteristics that the province presents in the rural area.
Caroline Sireau, presidential delegate from San Antonio, highlighted the importance of planning and working together to effectively face the fire season. “We are at the end of September and we are already preparing for this season, because we know that we have a large territory that has many risks of forest fires and, therefore, the importance of planning and coordination between all institutions, both public and private that we participate in this, it is essential,” said Sireau.
Likewise, the delegate took the opportunity to say goodbye and recognize the work of Patricio Balladares, Conaf’s forest fire manager in the province, who will take on new challenges at the regional level. “I want to thank the work carried out by Patricio Balladares, who was in charge of preventive and combat work against forest fires in our province for around 15 years. We wish him much success in his new stage,” he added.
For his part, the regional director of Senapred, Christian Cardemil, highlighted the importance of community participation in the National Disaster Prevention and Response System (SINAPRED). “Since the promulgation of Law 21,364 that created SINAPRED, all entities, both public and private, that are part of disaster risk management in all its stages, have something to say and something to act, with a degree of responsibility. It is not enough for the authorities or private companies to meet. The important thing is that the community feels committed and feels that it is really part of the National Disaster Prevention and Response System,” he pointed out.
Cardemil also stressed the importance of self-care and individual responsibility. “Each person is responsible at their own level of influence: whether it is their house, patio, plot, school, neighborhood, or organization,” he concluded.
Leonardo Möder, regional director of Conaf Valparaíso, warned about the adverse conditions expected for this season. “The 2024-2025 forest fire period comes with very similar conditions, or even worse, than the previous season, in terms of climatic conditions and availability of biomass, a vegetable fuel that can be burned. For this reason, we call on the provincial and communal community to take care of themselves,” said Möder.
In addition, he called on young people to apply as Conaf brigade members. “Applications are open until December, and we need to fill our 48 brigades, including tool brigades, water brigades and mechanized brigades,” he said, highlighting the need to have trained personnel to effectively face the fire season.
This important preventive meeting concluded with a clear call for collaboration between institutions and the community, reaffirming the need to work together to prevent and mitigate forest fires, which have caused so much damage in the province of San Antonio.
