Fires in Chile – French resources to combat forest fires ( Feb. 13, 2023)

Joint communique issued by Catherine Colonna, minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and Gerald Darmanin, minister of the Interior and Overseas France

Chile is facing two devastating forest fires, with many fires still active and very significant damage. France wishes to express its full solidarity with the Chilean people and authorities.

Chile has appealed for assistance from its partners. France immediately offered its help and is responding to the Chilean Government’s request by sending an emergency services detachment in the next few hours, comprising 83 personnel:

• 41 fire rescue workers from Corte and Brignoles emergency services training and intervention units 5 and 7;

• 42 firefighters from the departmental fire and rescue services of the southern zone (Ardèche, Ariège, Gers, Hérault, Hautes-Pyrénées, Pyrénées-Orientales, Var and Vaucluse), from the marine firefighters’ battalion and from the French National Fire Officers’ Academy.

The French detachment will be incorporated into the local rescue operation and will take part in lighting strategic fires, heliborne operations, creating very long-range jets, forestry operations, and forest-edge management, among other activities.

The operation is being coordinated, in conjunction with the French Embassy in Chile, by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs’ Crisis and Support Centre and the Ministry of the Interior and Overseas France’s General Directorate for Civil Protection and Crisis Management.