In November 2024, a report was published highlighting the situation of wildfires and monocultures in Chile, especially in the Biobío Region. The main hypothesis is that extensive and uniform monocultures are the primary cause of the spread of fire in areas prone to wildfires in the country.
The impact of wildfires on beekeeping is significant. Beekeepers from the municipality of Florida and the Province of Concepción have suffered major losses in their hives due to the wildfires. One of the affected, Roberto Maas, lost all his production due to the disasters.
In the Biobío Region, several mega-fires have been recorded, which have had catastrophic consequences in recent years. The presence of pine and eucalyptus monocultures has contributed to the rapid spread of these fires, affecting both the flora and fauna of the area.
The advance of climate change and the expansion of monocultures have generated a landscape dominated by forest plantations in places like Florida, where agricultural and wine-growing activities have been drastically affected. The lack of regulation and the high risk of monocultures have led to rethinking the diversification of productive units in the region.
Researcher Jorge Felez highlights that mega-fires are events that burn more than 10,000 hectares, and their spread is the primary factor in these disasters. The combination of intentional or accidental fires with large areas of monocultures creates the perfect recipe for these disasters, which have become a recurring issue in the region.
The affected community has pointed out the need to implement stricter regulations that force the forestry industries to stay away from populated areas. The lack of control over monocultures has caused significant damage in the region, affecting both people and the local biodiversity.
In summary, the expansion of pine and eucalyptus monocultures in Biobío has significantly contributed to the spread of mega-fires that have devastated the region. Urgent measures are needed to regulate these plantations and promote the diversification of productive units in the area in order to mitigate the negative impacts on the environment and the local population.