Wildfires in Chile: Working from Territorial Planning

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This February began with social media ablaze following wildfires in central and southern Chile. This has become a recurring concern in recent years due to their scale and frequency. To date, nearly 3,000 affected individuals and almost 1,100 destroyed homes have been reported across various areas of Ñuble, Biobío, and La Araucanía, according to data compiled by the news outlet La Tercera.

In response to the situation, the Chilean Architects Association (CA) issued a public statement on Tuesday, February 7, signed by Beatriz Buccicardi, the new president of the CA for the 2022-2024 term, stating that the organization "must be part of public policies that target the regulation, management, and oversight of the natural and human-influenced landscape, aiming to ensure a harmonious relationship with citizens, productive sectors, and the territory, thereby avoiding the damage caused by regional wildfires."

While several factors contribute to these fires, such as drought and high temperatures, human activity remains the primary cause of the blazes in the region. "According to records from CONAF (the National Forestry Corporation), from 1985 to 2018, the causes of wildfires nationwide were: 56% accidental, 32% intentional, 11% undetermined, and only 1% due to natural causes." In this context, the lack of prevention and the proper management of land, forests, and rural areas are key issues the Chilean Architects Association aims to address, noting that land-use planning remains an outstanding task.

In this regard, concerns regarding the wildfires in southern Chile also focus on their connection to the expansion of intensive pine and eucalyptus plantations and vast monoculture areas. These plantations are often located near highly populated urban zones, putting local communities at risk.

In this context, the CA proposed several solutions from within the discipline: "Just as seismic codes exist for buildings to withstand earthquakes, we must make progress on regulations that guarantee public safety during disasters like regional wildfires." There are several examples: designing both natural firebreaks in the landscape and firebreaks in populated areas, which could be integrated into road infrastructure or clear, vegetation-free esplanades. At the same time, road networks must accommodate evacuation routes and allow rapid access for emergency vehicles. From a land-use planning perspective, zoning plans should not designate urban expansion areas bordering forest masses, and rural lands must guarantee a reliable water supply. 

You can review each of the 8 proposals from the Chilean Architects Association in detail at the following link.