Santiago de Chile, February 14. A team of 83 members of the French brigade and firefighters arrived in Chile on Tuesday to strengthen the fight against forest fires, which affect the central-southern area of the country.
“As in 2017, France expresses its solidarity with Chile by sending 83 brigadiers and firefighters to help fight forest fires. In 2017 there were 70 people, this year more than 80,” the ambassador said. from France to Chile, Pascal Teixeira. received the contingent with the Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonia Urrejola.
“France also has a long history of wildfires, as was the case in 2022, which is why all the firefighters who are here come from the south of France, which is the area most exposed to wildfires. forest,” the diplomat added. .
Minister Urrejola, for her part, thanked the French people for their support and underlined that “it is moving to know that we are not alone, that there are men and women who cross the oceans to help us fight the fires”.
More than 800 members of the brigade, firefighters, soldiers and specialists from various regions of Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Portugal and Venezuela are working to put out the forest fires.
The wave of fires in the central-southern area of the country has claimed 24 lives and has already consumed more than 430,000 hectares, in addition to destroying more than 1,500 homes and leaving 6,000 homeless.
According to the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senapred), until Monday evening there were 290 fires, of which 67 were in combat and 144 were under control.
So far, there are 31 detainees for their alleged responsibility in the origin of the fires.