A recent report by the Center for Climate and Resilience Science (CR2) (2020) shows the increased danger of exotic monoculture tree plantations for the spread of forest fires.

Chile is again shaken by a wave of fires in the center and south of the country. As of February 6, the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service reported a total of 280 fires, 69 of which were still burning and out of control. The area devastated by fire was equivalent to nearly 300,000 hectares. There were 26 fatalities.

As “El Ciudadano” points out in an article written in the context of the forest fires of the summer of 2017, there is scientific evidence that exotic monocultures severely affect waters and are highly flammable, much more so than natural forests. Despite this, forestry companies developed harmful practices, such as the substitution of native forest for their monoculture plantations.