CONAF deploys temporary workers for forest fire prevention in Chile

The National Forestry Corporation (CONAF) is implementing large-scale temporary employment programs across Chile to strengthen forest fire prevention and mitigation efforts ahead of high-risk seasons.

In the Maule region, a program involving 1,700 workers will be deployed across 30 communes from September to November. This initiative, backed by an investment of 4.5 billion pesos, focuses on cleaning and managing combustible material. The program aims to provide economic relief in a region with a 9.5% unemployment rate, with a mandate that at least 60% of positions be filled by women, particularly female heads of household.

In the Ñuble region, an additional 700 jobs will be created between October and December to complement the regular emergency employment program. Nationally, CONAF plans to mobilize a total of 4,567 additional workers to intervene across approximately 7,000 kilometers of territory. These efforts include clearing vegetation and maintaining firebreaks in urban-rural interface zones to protect infrastructure and residential areas.