Chile Wildfires Flashcards
When did the wild fires start?
3rd December 2016
When did the wild fires end?
January 2017
How did these fires compare to other wildfires in Chile’s history?
They were the worst wildfires in Chile’s history.
How many square miles of land were destroyed?
2000 square miles
How many people died?
11
How many fires were there?
Over 100
Which part of the country was affected?
Mainly the western parts of the country were affected.
How many people had to be evacuated?
Over 10,000
How many people were injured?
At least 298
How many homes in the town of Santa Olga burnt down overnight?
1200
How many people in the city of Constitucion lost their homes?
6000-7000
How many people were in shelters as a result of the fires as of 26th January?
1088
How much did the wildfires cost the Chilean gouvernement?
$333 million
How many homes were destroyed in Valparaiso?
2000
What was released into the atmosphere?
Lots of CO2
How did the smoke from the fires damage human health?
People may have had breathing difficulties.
What were the environmental impacts of the fires? 6
Ecosystems were upset
Animals lost their habitat
Soil fertility declines as nutrients are removed from the soil
More CO2 in the atmosphere
Forest degradation and loss of vegetation affects the water cycle.
Impacts on the water supply
List the 6 social impacts
People lose their jobs and land
Homes destroyed
People driven out by high insurance or bad experience (perception of hazard)
Deaths
Permanent injuries
People may underestimate the fire hazard due to a lack of knowledge
List the 6 economic impacts
High insurance premiums
Tourism will increase as the country becomes warmer
Forestry industry may decline
Rehabilitation costs
Investment into wild fire mitigation
Potential technological advancement due to scientific research into the issue
What was the damage to the forestry industry?
Losses of $350million
What is one of Chile’s main export sectors?
Forestry
Is Chile a HIC or a LIC?
HIC
Where did the fires start?
In the hillsides of Valparaiso
Were the fires started deliberately?
Some were but others were accidental
What did fire chiefs say about why some of the fires occurred?
Some fires occurred as a result of poor planning and poor regulation as some forest plantations did not have firebreaks.
Why did the fires spread rapidly?
The fires were in the plantations rather than the more humid forests.
What causes the spread of fires?
Hot and windy conditions
What do the plantations have that makes them more flammable?
Eucalyptus
What is increasing the duration, frequency and intensity of forest fires?
Climate change
Which month of the year is the hottest for Chile?
January
How long was the drought that contributed to the fires?
8 years long
What 3 things are needed to start a fire and where can they be found in Chile?
Heat (hot temps which are increasing due to climate change)
Fuel (eucalyptus in plantations)
Oxygen (in the air)
What did the evacuation plan that was put in place entail?
Moving some people across a river and evacuating residential areas where the fire had spread.
What did Chile’s volunteer fire service struggle to do?
Control all of the fires
What did local people do to help?
Donate petrol, food and drinks
Did other countries help?
Yes
How many helicopters and light aircraft did the government dispatch?
40
What did the helicopters and light aircraft do?
Douse the ground
What did a wealthy Chilean citizen do?
Funded a Boeing 747-400 super tanker to try and help to combat the fires
What was sent out to bury the animal carcasses?
Machinery
What was set up?
A crowd funding page
What did the crowd funding page aim to do?
Raise money to rebuild the parts of the country that were devastated by fires.
How many fire fighters battled the flames?
About 1300
What could the Chilean government do to ensure that the fires are controlled next time?
Put planning restrictions in place so that plantations are placed away from residential areas.
Further fire training for fire fighters and also residents
Enforce firebreaks