The “Miracle” of Botania
The flames did not touch any of the houses, and all its inhabitants managed to evacuate on time from the most voracious fire in Chile.
HAVANA TIMES – Despite being surrounded by fire, amidst the voracious chain of fires that in early February claimed the lives of 132 people in the Valparaíso region, the Botania neighborhood in Chile remained intact: the flames did not touch any of the houses, and all its inhabitants managed to evacuate on time.
It is a miracle that actually hides a pioneering neighborhood prevention program with worldwide projection.
Seen from the air, the neighborhood, a set of approximately 70 houses of multiple colors on the border between Viña del Mar and Quilpué, looks like an island amidst charred land and hills blackened by ash, burnt trees that days after the fire had extinguished still fill the air with a lingering residual odor.
On the ground, the neighbors told EFE that what many consider a miracle is the mature fruit of intense training and cleaning sessions, of rational management of vegetation in the territory, and above all, of the commitment of a cohesive community with clear roles in a model that can be applied to the rest of Chile and exported to the world.
Facing the Emergency
Equipped with axes, rakes, hoes, and backpacks with a capacity of 18 liters of water, in addition to tanks located in strategic points with a capacity of 3,500 liters, the neighbors of Canal Chacao, the population of Botania and one of the most affected by fires, tried to resist.
Tools that are part of a kit provided to the community within the framework of a program financed by the US organization USAID along with the National Forestry Corporation and Caritas Chile, explained Ro