So far, the forest fires affecting Chile since July 2016 have burned more than 360,000 hectares and have killed five people. The fires have mainly affected the regions of O'Higgins and Maule. Fire fighters have described this outbreak as the most serious one in the last 14 years.
Fortunately, there has been no major damage on fruit and vegetable farms so far. "The fruit sector hasn't had any damage because these forest fires are mainly located in the coastal mountain range. So far we have no reason to worry," the producers in the area stated.
The phenomenon that facilitates the spread of the flames is known as 30-30-30 factor, which means that the effects are exacerbated when temperatures are above 30 ° C, winds over 30 mph, and humidity close to 30%. "The temperatures have been very high and we have implemented preventive measures to face them and to protect the fruit for the next season. We believe the temperatures have increased because of the fires," the farmers said.