The mayor of Easter Island, Pedro Edmunds Paoa, described as “intentional” the fire that broke out this Thursday afternoon in the Rapa Nui National Park, which led to the activation of a red alert by the regional Onemi, consumed eleven hectares and affected five Cracked, which are the hats of the moais.

“It is an intentional burning. Firefighters arrived with their two cars, we also participated with cistern trucks, two cars with a capacity of 40 thousand liters. With that he could control himself. In addition to the labor of Conaf people, ”said the island’s communal chief.


Red alert

At around 2:40 p.m. this Thursday, a forest fire started in the Easter Island commune, specifically in the Rapa Nui National Park, an area characterized by having moais.

The event alerted Carabineros, who were conducting a preventive patrol in the sector, when they saw smoke coming out from the Pukao. At that moment a great deployment began to put out the fire that managed to spread over 11 hectares.

Onemi should have declared a Red Alert for Easter Island.

This was announced by the Major of the Carabineros Manuel Velasquez, commissioner of the 6th Easter Island Police Station.

The fire occurred in the area called “Puna Pau 2” within the Rapa Nui National Park, to control it, 1 CONAF brigade participated; Easter Island Firefighters; 1 unit of the Rescue and Fire Fighting Service (SSEI) dependent on the DGAC; 1 combat force of the Chilean Navy; Carabineros; a provincial manager and a communal team of Civil Protection and Emergencies from Easter Island, with the support of 2 tank trucks.