Chile Wildfires

Question 1

When did the wild fires start?

Answer 1

3rd December 2016

Question 2

When did the wild fires end?

Answer 2

January 2017

Question 3

How did these fires compare to other wildfires in Chile’s history?

Answer 3

They were the worst wildfires in Chile’s history.

Question 4

How many square miles of land were destroyed?

Answer 4

2000 square miles

Question 5

How many people died?

Answer 5

11

Question 6

How many fires were there?

Answer 6

Over 100

Question 7

Which part of the country was affected?

Answer 7

Mainly the western parts of the country were affected.

Question 8

How many people had to be evacuated?

Answer 8

Over 10,000

Question 9

How many people were injured?

Answer 9

At least 298

Question 10

How many homes in the town of Santa Olga burnt down overnight?

Answer 10

1200

Question 11

How many people in the city of Constitucion lost their homes?

Answer 11

6000-7000

Question 12

How many people were in shelters as a result of the fires as of 26th January?

Answer 12

1088

Question 13

How much did the wildfires cost the Chilean gouvernement?

Answer 13

$333 million

Question 14

How many homes were destroyed in Valparaiso?

Answer 14

2000

Question 15

What was released into the atmosphere?

Answer 15

Lots of CO2

Question 16

How did the smoke from the fires damage human health?

Answer 16

People may have had breathing difficulties.

Question 17

What were the environmental impacts of the fires? 6

Answer 17

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

Question 18

List the 6 social impacts

Answer 18

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

Question 19

List the 6 economic impacts

Answer 19

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

Question 20

What was the damage to the forestry industry?

Answer 20

Losses of $350million

Question 21

What is one of Chile’s main export sectors?

Answer 21

Forestry

Question 22

Is Chile a HIC or a LIC?

Answer 22

HIC

Question 23

Where did the fires start?

Answer 23

In the hillsides of Valparaiso

Question 24

Were the fires started deliberately?

Answer 24

Some were but others were accidental

Question 25

What did fire chiefs say about why some of the fires occurred?

Answer 25

Some fires occurred as a result of poor planning and poor regulation as some forest plantations did not have firebreaks.

Question 26

Why did the fires spread rapidly?

Answer 26

The fires were in the plantations rather than the more humid forests.

Question 27

What causes the spread of fires?

Answer 27

Hot and windy conditions

Question 28

What do the plantations have that makes them more flammable?

Answer 28

Eucalyptus

Question 29

What is increasing the duration, frequency and intensity of forest fires?

Answer 29

Climate change

Question 30

Which month of the year is the hottest for Chile?

Answer 30

January

Question 31

How long was the drought that contributed to the fires?

Answer 31

8 years long

Question 32

What 3 things are needed to start a fire and where can they be found in Chile?

Answer 32

Heat (hot temps which are increasing due to climate change) Fuel (eucalyptus in plantations) Oxygen (in the air)

Question 33

What did the evacuation plan that was put in place entail?

Answer 33

Moving some people across a river and evacuating residential areas where the fire had spread.

Question 34

What did Chile's volunteer fire service struggle to do?

Answer 34

Control all of the fires

Question 35

What did local people do to help?

Answer 35

Donate petrol, food and drinks

Question 36

Did other countries help?

Answer 36

Yes

Question 37

How many helicopters and light aircraft did the government dispatch?

Answer 37

40

Question 38

What did the helicopters and light aircraft do?

Answer 38

Douse the ground

Question 39

What did a wealthy Chilean citizen do?

Answer 39

Funded a Boeing 747-400 super tanker to try and help to combat the fires

Question 40

What was sent out to bury the animal carcasses?

Answer 40

Machinery

Question 41

What was set up?

Answer 41

A crowd funding page

Question 42

What did the crowd funding page aim to do?

Answer 42

Raise money to rebuild the parts of the country that were devastated by fires.

Question 43

How many fire fighters battled the flames?

Answer 43

About 1300

Question 44

What could the Chilean government do to ensure that the fires are controlled next time?

Answer 44

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