Mexican firefighters join Chile’s battle against deadly wildfires: Video
A contingent of 145 Mexican firefighters arrived on Thursday, January 22, in Concepción, capital of Chile’s Biobío region, to support efforts to contain wildfires that have swept across southern Chile since last weekend.
The team brought more than 360 kilograms of specialised equipment and will be deployed to several of the most active fire fronts.
The fires have burned around 50,000 hectares, affected an estimated 7,000 people and claimed at least 21 lives. The Mexican personnel come from the National Forestry Commission (Conafor) and the Secretariat of National Defence (Sedena), and are trained to operate in complex wildfire scenarios.
Chile’s Foreign Minister Alberto van Klaveren thanked the Mexican government, led by President Claudia Sheinbaum, for its rapid response, saying Mexico offered assistance “from the very first moment”. He highlighted the broader international backing Chile has received, describing it as a reflection of the solidarity Chile has also shown other countries in times of crisis.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
