The Chilean Red Cross becomes the first National Society to anticipate wildfires
The Chilean Red Cross has activated its simplified early action protocol (EAP) for wildfires. This marks a global milestone for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement: it is the first EAP for wildfires to be activated.
The National Society is now undertaking anticipatory actions to mitigate the potential impacts of the wildfires in the Araucanía region, including damage to houses, people being exposed to the fires, and risks associated with delayed evacuations. At the time of activation, this area had not yet been directly affected by the wildfires that are spreading across many parts of Chile, meaning there is a window to act before the worst impacts materialize fully. This implementation window is eight days and, in coordination with national authorities and community leaders, the Chilean Red Cross expects to reach approximately 400 families.
Actions include the provision of evacuation kits and tools to help vulnerable households prepare for and cope with the impacts of the fires, as well as coordination and monitoring with local institutions, including community actors. The early action protocol is being supported through a total volume of 219,997 Swiss francs (around 282,000 US dollars/240,000 euros) from the anticipatory action pillar of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ (IFRC) Disaster Response Emergency Fund.
Triggering actions for wildfires
The simplified EAP was activated on 29 January 2026, when the thresholds for acting were met. These are based on the identification of conditions conducive to a wildfire igniting and spreading.
The National Forestry Corporation monitors these conditions and, when the conditions are in place, produces fire-spread forecasts. An alert is then issued by the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Servicio Nacional de Prevención y Respuesta ante Desastres/SENAPRED), the official body responsible for declaring alerts and activating evacuation processes in Chile.
According to data from SENAPRED, during January 2026, wildfires in the central-southern region of Chile have already caused at least 21 fatalities, with more than 20,000 people affected overall, as well as the loss of over 800 homes.
Expanding anticipatory action to new hazards
The simplified EAP is part of an initiative to extend the concepts and mechanisms of anticipatory action to new hazards, including wildfires. It received technical support from the German Red Cross, with funding from the German Federal Foreign Office, as well as the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre and the IFRC.
This article was written by Vivian María Pavón Flores and Sören Schneider, German Red Cross.
Photo from the Chilean Red Cross.