El Ciudadano
Original article: «Se quemó el parque, se quemó donde se quiere instalar la minera»: denuncia desde Penco en medio del fuego que arrasó bosque de Queule
Penco: Community Claims Wildfire Consumes Queule Forest Amid Disputed Land for Mining Project
An unprecedented ecological and social disaster is unfolding in Penco, Biobío Region, as an out-of-control wildfire, origin still to be determined, ravages the iconic Fundo Coihueco.
This territory is at the center of a fierce dispute between the community and the extractive industry, housing the Parque para Penco and the world’s last Queule forests, an ancient critically endangered tree species. The flames have also devastated numerous homes, leaving a scene of desolation and immeasurable loss.
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The Parque para Penco Corporation reports that the wildfire began with three isolated hot spots, two of which are «very close to where the mining company plans to set up operations.» What started as localized points has escalated within hours into the worst fire in decades for the Penco-Lirquén area.
The Corporation stated: «The park burned, the site where the mining project is planned has burned, many houses have burned,» the organization relayed as firefighters and crews battle the flames.
The drama extends beyond immediate emergencies, rooted in years of conflict. The Fundo Coihueco is the heart of a community park project and the epicenter of controversy surrounding the rare earths project «Aclara» (formerly Biolantánidos). The community has long claimed that the park and the preservation of this unique ecosystem are «incompatible» with mining, due to the threat to the exceptional quality of the Penco River, local tourism, and fragile biodiversity.
Related / State of Disaster in Ñuble and Biobío due to Wildfires: Numerous Homes Affected by Fire and Thousands Evacuated
Among the losses are centuries-old Queule specimens, trees referred to as «living fossils» or «botanical dinosaurs,» as highlighted by the Parque para Penco Corporation, alongside other irreplaceable native flora and fauna.
The Corporation, in a bitter lament, questions: «Without Queules, without pitaos, without native fauna… this is how it suits them.» This statement reflects the deep distrust among residents, horrified to witness the flames consuming exactly the territory they aim to protect from extraction, after decades of flammable monoculture forestry.
Parque para Penco
Two months prior, the Corporation posted: «As the Parque Para Penco Corporation, we are thrilled to be part of this significant milestone for our community and its environment. We greatly value the collaborative work with the University of Concepción @fcaudec, and reaffirm that planting native trees not only helps prevent wildfires but also strengthens the sense of belonging and territoriality among communities.»
It added: «Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of this site due to the presence of a relic of ancient native forest, with endangered conservation species, a rich diversity of birds, and a key role in protecting the waters of the community.»
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