| 2017 Chile wildfires | |
|---|---|
 Satellite image of the fires, captured by NASA on January 25, 2017. | |
| Location |  Chile |
| Statistics | |
| Total fires | 5,274 [1] |
| Total area | 1,408,988 acres (5,702 km2) [1] |
| Impacts | |
| Deaths | 11 |
| Structures destroyed | 1000+ |
A series of wildfires burned across Chile during January 2017.
On January 27–28, a wildfire described as the worst in Chile's modern history killed at least 11 people, including five firefighters and destroyed the town of Santa Olga in the central Maule Region, displacing thousands of people. [2] [3]
In the two decades from 2000 to 2020, the 2017 Chile wildfires were the ones that impacted the largest area of protected areas and the largest number of protected areas in Central Chile. [4] In this regard only the wildfire seasons of 2009–2010 and 2019–2020 are comparable in the whole 2000–2020 period. [4]
On January 20, the Chilean government declared a state of emergency in response to the wildfires. [5]
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet cancelled her planned visit to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, for the fifth CELAC Summit on January 24–25 due to the wildfires. [6]
In late February 2022, five years after the fire Aída Baldini, manager of the wildfire division of the National Forest Corporation, declared that their budget to fight fires had increased five times. [7]
Argentina had more than 130 firefighters in Chile at one point.[ citation needed ]
Austria sent firefighting equipment and tools. [8] 
Brazil sent two MAFFS-equipped C-130 Hercules. [9] 
Canada provided planes and helicopters.[ citation needed ]
China provided economic support. [10] 
Colombia sent more than 20 firefighters.
European Union sent a team of eight to Santiago. [8] 
France sent 69 firefighters. [11] [12] 
Germany has donated US$215,000.
Israel has pledged aid to Chile. [13] 
Italy has pledged aid to Chile. [13] 
Japan sent four people.[ citation needed ]
Mexico sent more than 20 firefighters.
Panama sent 21 firefighters. [14] 
Peru sent more than 20 firefighters.
Portugal sent 52 firefighters. [11] [12] 
Russia sent an Ilyushin Il-76 and more than 20 firefighters.[ citation needed ]
South Korea provided economic aid. [10] 
Spain sent 64 firefighters. [14] 
Sweden sent firefighting equipment and tools. [8] 
United Arab Emirates has donated US$5 million.[ citation needed ]
United States sent four specialists from the U.S. Forest Service, and a private company sent an Evergreen 747 Supertanker with a crew of 12. The United States has also contributed US$1,580,000. [11] [15] 
Venezuela sent 80 firefighters. [14] 
Smokejumpers are specially trained wildland firefighters who provide an initial attack response on remote wildfires. They are inserted at the site of the fire by parachute. This allows firefighters to access remote fires in their early stages without needing to hike long distances carrying equipment and supplies. Traditional terrestrial crews can use only what they can carry and often require hours and days to reach fire on foot. The benefits of smokejumping include the speed at which firefighters can reach a burn site, the broad range of fires a single crew can reach by aircraft, and the larger equipment payloads that can be delivered to a fire compared to pedestrian crews.
Aerial firefighting, also known as waterbombing, is the use of aircraft and other aerial resources to combat wildfires. The types of aircraft used include fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. Smokejumpers and rappellers are also classified as aerial firefighters, delivered to the fire by parachute from a variety of fixed-wing aircraft, or rappelling from helicopters. Chemicals used to fight fires may include water, water enhancers such as foams and gels, and specially formulated fire retardants such as Phos-Chek.
The 2007 Greek forest fires were a series of massive forest fires that broke out in several areas across Greece throughout the summer of 2007. The most destructive and lethal infernos broke out on 23 August, expanded rapidly and raged out of control until 27 August, until they were finally put out in early September. The fires mainly affected western and southern Peloponnese as well as southern Euboea. The death toll in August alone stood at 67 people. In total 85 people lost their lives because of the fires, including several fire fighters.
The 747 Supertanker is a retired aerial firefighting airtanker derived from various Boeing 747 models. The aircraft is rated to carry up to 19,600 US gallons (74,000 L) of fire retardant or water. It is the largest aerial firefighting aircraft in the world.
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Santa Olga was a town in the Talca Province in central Chile's Maule Region.
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During August 2019, a number of forest fires broke out in the Canary Islands of Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Lanzarote. The fires on the island of Gran Canaria were the most severe, resulting in the loss of large areas of the island's forests and leading to the evacuation of thousands of residents from a number of towns and villages. The intense heat brought by a heat wave and the presence of strong winds, combined with the island's mountainous terrain, made extinguishing activities exceptionally difficult.
The 2021 Greece wildfires were multiple wildfires in Greece in August 2021, which killed 3 people, injured at least 20 others and burned dozens of homes, after a historic heatwave for the country, with the highest temperatures reaching 47.1 °C (116.8 °F). Authorities evacuated several villages and towns. According to BBC News, Greece experienced the worst heatwave since 1987. These fires were the worst fires in Greece since the 2007 Greek forest fires which burnt more than double the area of the 2021 fires.
The 2022 Tierra del Fuego wildfire was a fire that affected the Chilean commune of Timaukel in the west of Tierra del Fuego Island in southernmost South America. The fire was discovered on January 20 but since no flames could be found it was reportedly believed that it was already extinguished. It began in land owned by the forestry company Forestal Russfin. Days later the fire was envigorated and consumed various hectares of forest.
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