43 detained for stoking Chilean forest fires

Chilean authorities have detained 43 people suspected of stoking forest fires that have devastated over 400,000 hectares of land and killed 11 people.

The fires have raged across the south and central regions of the country for the last two weeks, ravaging vines in Maule and Colchagua.

The 43 suspects, the majority of which were detained in O’Higgins, Maule and Bío Bío, face up to 20 years in prison if found guilty to stoking some of the 130 forest fires, around 60 of which are still active.

More than 11,000 people are working to put out the fires, including members of the military, police, public officials, residents and overseas aid workers.

Derek Mossman-Knapp

The Chilean government is distributing aid to farmers and ranchers affected by the blaze in what Chile has called the largest emergency operation in its history.

But while the fires continue to rage, Maule-based winemaker Derek Mossman Knapp was keen to stress to db that the old vines in the region will rise again.

“The old vines are not destroyed. Roots that old will be coaxed back in a year or two. The earth surface is scorched to be sure but that is all.

“The age-old roots beneath the ground have been pushing life upwards every spring for centuries. In the historical scheme of things this small man-made calamity above ground will not stop the vines any time soon – they will be back,” he said.

“In many places the vines are the only thing that survived.

“Literally the only green on the landscape after the fires have ravaged the forests and plains are the age-old dry-farmed vines of the smallest producers in Chile – the vignerons of the Secano. In many cases, the vineyards literally acted as fire-breaks.”

“Now is the time these vignerons need a hand not to be forgotten because their vines are dead, which they are not.”

“Sadly, the vineyards that have been left uncultivated in recent years have fared far worse than those cultivated traditionally ploughed by horse or tractor,” he added.