Wildfires blaze in Chile According to government statistics, at least 25 people have been killed and more than 2000 homes were destroyed. Over 400,000 hectares have been set on fire, as seen in NASA satellite images.
Julio Alonso, executive director for Wines of Chile North America, said forest fires in El Maule, Ñuble, Bío Bío, and Araucanía were affecting thousands of people’s lives and sources of work, including in wine.
He said that some small producers had lost their wineries and homes, but that the emergency was not under control yet and it was difficult to assess the extent of damage.
Itata Valley, home to some of Chile’s oldest vines, was one of the worst-hit areas.
Chile’s Institute of Agricultural Development (INDAP) recently promised expert advice for Itata Valley winemakers, adding 692 grape growers were known to have been affected by fires.
Before that, the ministry of agriculture said 291 hectares of vines had been destroyed in the Ñuble region, which includes Itata Valley. In several other regions, other crops also suffered from damage.
‘Everything burned’
Itata-based producer Leonidas Fernández, owner of his ‘Leoncio’…
