The National Forestry Corporation (CONAF) has reported that it delivered an educational fire prevention workshop at the Abdón Andrade Coloma Bicentennial High School in La Unión, Chile.
The session targeted teaching and administrative staff from schools located in areas with a high risk of forest fires, particularly where urban and rural environments meet.
According to CONAF, the training aimed to build environmental education capacity within the school system and promote early prevention practices among school communities.
The three-hour workshop included both theoretical instruction and applied group exercises. Topics covered included preventive forestry methods, climate change, risk identification, and the environmental certification process.
CONAF reported that workshop participants engaged with several hands-on activities designed to enhance understanding of environmental hazards and school-level risk mitigation.
Among the featured activities was the “Problem Tree,” a tool that helps educators examine and illustrate the causes and effects of local environmental conflicts.
Participants also completed a school-based risk analysis exercise that emphasized how to identify and respond to threats that increase wildfire risk.
CONAF stated that this approach was developed to support Chile’s broader environmental education and climate resilience objectives.
Arnoldo Shibar, Regional Director of CONAF in Los Ríos, said: “An educational workshop was held to raise awareness among both teachers and students, specifically regarding schools located in urban-rural interface areas that are at risk of both starting and spreading forest fires.”
He added: “The idea was to raise awareness among students and the educational community regarding fire prevention issues in the Los Ríos region.”
Shibar also drew attention to ongoing efforts in areas such as climate adaptation and environmental certifications, which may bring further value to participating schools.
Following the workshop, each school must organize and carry out its own fire prevention initiative, CONAF stated.
The project is intended to reinforce lessons from the training session while extending its impact beyond the school to include families and the wider community.
Schools have up to three months to complete and document the activity.
The reports will then be submitted to CONAF for review.
According to the agency, this model aims to support ongoing behavioral change through direct participation.
CONAF confirmed that teachers who took part in the program will receive formal certificates of participation.
These certificates acknowledge their contribution to environmental protection and wildfire prevention strategies.
The organization emphasized that early education and local engagement remain central to its approach to fire risk management in high-exposure regions.
CONAF reported that it held a fire prevention workshop at Abdón Andrade Coloma Bicentennial High School in La Unión.
The training targeted schools in high-risk urban-rural interface areas.
Participants completed theoretical and practical modules focused on forestry prevention, risk analysis, and climate change.
Key activities included the “Problem Tree” and school-specific risk mapping.
CONAF Regional Director Arnoldo Shibar emphasized the importance of education in fire-prone regions.
Each school must now carry out and document a prevention activity within three months.
The goal is to apply workshop learning within communities and families.
Teachers will receive certificates recognizing their participation and commitment to wildfire prevention.
