Over 130 people have died so far in the tragic wild fires that have ripped through Chile’s Valparaiso and Viña del Mar region this February. It the worst natural disaster in Chile since the 2010 earthquake with a quickly-climbing death toll. Here is how to help and donate to charities and people working in the region to provide relief to the people and animals affected:
Update:
Yesterday, five days after devastating wildfires took hold in Chile’s Valparaíso Region on 2 February, the fire brigade declared them to be under control. Some 1,900 volunteer firefighters were involved in the effort to combat the fires that not only ravaged forests and farmland but also rampaged through residential districts of tourist city Viña del Mar and other local towns, destroying around 14,000 homes and killing at least 131 people.
Teams of doctors and vets are working 24/7 shifts to attend to the sick and injured. The operation to clean up the debris is just getting started and, in the meantime, a staggering number of people (and their pets) have been left homeless. Many have found refuge with friends or family, others are in temporary hostels, while others are camping out near the burned-out shells of their homes. One thing is for certain – it’s going to be a long time before things get back to normal in this region.
National charities to support and donate to – How to help with the Chile wild fires
Desafío Levantemos Chile
This is a national charity that responds to disaster situations (https://desafiolevantemoschile.org/). They are now raising money for first aid kits and to help remove debris in the areas where homes have been burned down and will subsequently look at reconstruction efforts.
The webpage for this campaign (in Spanish) includes a Paypal option for people donating from abroad: https://desafiolevantemoschile.org/finalizar-compra-2/?causa=levantemos-la-v-region&product_id=203157
Hogar de Cristo
This religious charity works with senior citizens, homeless and other vulnerable groups, and has set up a campaign specifically so they can give kits (masks, gloves, spades etc) to the people who lost their homes and need to remove the debris in the Manuel Bustos camp.
Website (in Spanish) includes details of how to donate within Chile or from abroad: https://hcstore.org/dona/
Un Techo para Chile
This charity mobilizes volunteers to build temporary housing, especially in the wake of disasters, in Chile. Visit their webpage for the Valparaíso fires campaign: https://cl.techo.org/techo-chile-lanza-campana-para-reconstruccion-tras-los-incendios-en-region-de-valparaiso/
Donations to help build temporary housing for fire victims can be made here: https://app.payku.cl/botonpago/index?idboton=26240&verif=49166b0e
Colegio Médico Veterinario de Chile (association of Chilean vets)
I have personally observed the enormous operation being undertaken by vets from across the region and further afield. Scores of vets and vet technicians are working round the clock in the temporary veterinary hospitals that have been set up and the mobile veterinary units that are going into the devastated areas to find and treat farm animals and pets of every description, many of them with burns, respiratory problems, injuries or simply displaced or homeless.
The Colegio Médico Veterinario de Chile is accepting donations at the following bank account:
Name: Colegio Médico Veterinario de Chile
ID Number: 70020300-K
Bank: Banco Estado
Account number: 62900097382
Email: [email protected] – please put the reference “Incendios Febrero 2024”
International charities offering help to those impacted in the Chile fires
Center for Disaster Philanthropy
According to the CDP website: “Currently, emergency aid is focused on evacuations, sheltering, feeding and providing for immediate needs. Direct cash assistance will be a critical aspect of recovery as it allows families to make spending decisions and prioritize their needs.
Once residents are allowed back into neighborhoods, they will assess and remediate the damages. It’s important to note that fires often leach deadly toxins into the soil, resulting in a lengthier clean-up time.”
https://disasterphilanthropy.org/disasters/2024-chile-wildfires/
Catholic Relief Services
“Catholic Relief Services is supporting Chile’s Caritas network with its immediate response and teams on the ground to assist affected communities. Donations will be used to help provide shelter, essential living supplies, clean water and food.”
https://support.crs.org/donate/chile-wildfires?ms=agicrs0224cwf00fea00
Private individuals and smaller campaigns needing help in wake of the Chile fires 2024
Support the firefighters of Valparaiso
Chile’s firefighters are almost all volunteers. Some of the local firefighters have also lost their homes and this campaign is specifically to help them rebuild their homes.
Donations (from Chile) can be made directly to:
Name: Cb Valparaíso
ID number: 81807100-0
Bank: Banco de Chile
Current (checking) account : 101-34602-06
Helping the villagers of El Patagual
A private campaign organised by the neighbours of El Patagual to help some of the villagers impacted:
“Here in el campo El Patagual, Villa Alemana where Cecy and I live 14 houses out of approx 100 have been lost. One of the founding families Zoro Ruiz who’ve been here since 1956 have lost two houses, a nursery business, vehicles and suffered damage to their other homes. They are mother in her 90s (would be bedridden but the family have her sitting up in the living room during the day) and her 7 children’s families. This family is always ready to help neighbours at the drop of a hat. Angelica has been secretary of the Junta de Vecinas for aeons and, even now that she has lost everything, she is all day long receiving calls and visits from neighbours and officials asking for help, information, her great concern is the community rather than herself. An account has been set up so friends and family in Santiago can make donations towards the cost of materials for the family to rebuild ….. in case anyone would like to donate directly:
Name: Angelica Zoro Ruiz
ID number: 8836432-5
Bank: Banco Estado
Account: 88364325
Email: [email protected]
Viña del Mar’s Botanical Garden
This video (in Spanish) shows the director of the garden talking about the situation and what specific help they need:
https://twitter.com/sitiodelsuceso/status/1754276684415549766
This is a beautiful park in Viña with a long history and a large collection of plants and trees, many of them old and some of them rare. It’s enormously popular with both locals and tourists and is also home to a wide range of wildlife, so it’s very sad that it has suffered significant destruction (though it was not completely razed to the ground, as some news reports suggested). Four people tragically lost their lives in the park and another is in hospital with severe burns.
However, they are working hard to make the place safe and restore it. You can donate directly to:
Name: Fundación Jardín Botánico Nacional de Viña del Mar
ID number: 74828100-2
Bank: Banco de Chile
Current account: 000070680402
Email: [email protected]
Vanessa Verdeslagos
Vanessa Verdeslagos is raising money for her colleague Soledad who lost her home, as well as that of Soledad’s son and daughter. Private donations can be made:
Name: Vanessa Verdeslagos
Rut: 13.333.045-3
Cuenta vista
00-040-53202-54
Banco Chile
Further information on support needed can be obtained by Vanessa over email [email protected]
Impact on the wine regions?
So far it is too soon to tell if there is any impact on the nearby wine region of Casablanca (40 km away) or San Antonio. The vintage was fortunately so far delayed so grapes are still going through veraison, which means smoke taint is less of a risk. However if the fires continue or spread, there is an increasing risk of damage or taint. We will keep this page updated.
