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The increase in the frequency and severity of global wildfires has been largely influenced by climate change and land use changes. From February 2 to 6, 2024, central Chile experienced its most devastating wildland-urban interface wildfire in history, severely impacting the Valparaíso region. This catastrophic event, which led to extensive forest destruction, the loss of thousands of homes, and over a hundred human fatalities, directly impacted the area surrounding the campus of Federico Santa María Technical University. In that period, an air quality monitoring campaign was set up on the campus to measure black carbon (BC) and particulate matter (PM) during the wildfire season. The monitoring station was located directly within the smoke plume, allowing for the collection of unprecedented air quality data. Extremely high concentrations of BC at 880 nm were reported during the wildfires, with a daily mean (±σ) of 14.83 ± 19.52 μg m -3 . Peak concentrations measured at 880 nm and 375 nm reached 812.89 μg m -3 and 1561.24 μg m -3 , respectively. The maximum daily mean BC concentrations at these wavelengths were 55 and 99 times higher, respectively, compared to the pre-event period. The mean Ångström absorbing coefficient during the event was 1.66, indicating biomass burning as the primary BC source, while the maximum BC/PM 2.5 ratio (at 375 nm) reached 57 %. From February 2 to 5, 2024, PM concentrations exceeded the Chilean air quality standard by 82 % and 198 % for coarse and fine particles, respectively. These levels are 4.7 and 6.0 times higher than the World Health Organization's recommendations. These elevated concentrations persisted for up to three days after the fire was extinguished. This study provides unique evidence of the rapid deterioration of regional air quality during a wildfire event using in situ measurements, serving as a stark reminder of the far-reaching consequences of a warming climate., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Despite the global transition towards cleaner energy sources observed over the last decade, disparities in access persist worldwide. The dependence on biomass for household heating exacerbates fuel poverty, as economically vulnerable households face challenges in obtaining certified firewood and often resort to using contaminated biomass as a substitute, either partially or completely. We examined black carbon (BC) particle concentrations -a marker for combustion- during wood stove operation through a five-day case study in a typical Chilean household. BC increased rapidly following the ignition of the stove, with the combustion of dry Eucalyptus globulus logs yielding a substantially lower peak (5.29 μg/m 3 ) than when using unclean biomass: 35.75 μg/m 3 with demolition wood and painted furniture, and 87.11 μg/m 3 with the addition of a blend of particleboard with polystyrene foam. During the latter two events, BC particles remained indoors for about 20 h before the concentrations reverted to pre-spike levels. The slow decay in BC concentrations was further influenced by the infiltration of outdoor air. The mean indoor BC concentrations were comparable to or even exceeded those observed on busy roads in major cities worldwide. These results highlight the risks associated with limited access to clean fuels for indoor heating, alongside inadequate insulation. This study sheds light on the problem of fuel poverty and its adverse effects on health and well-being., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Forest fires are one of the main environmental threats in Chile. Fires in this Mediterranean climate region frequently affect native forests and exotic plantations, including in several cases urban and rural settlements. Considering the scarcity of information regarding the fire response dynamics of tree species that are frequently affected by fires, this study aims to establish a flammability classification according to the evolution of the fire initiation risk presented by the most affected forest species in the Valparaíso region. Three exotic species, Eucalyptus globulus , Pinus radiata , and Acacia dealbata , and two native species, Cryptocarya alba and Quillaja saponaria , were studied. Flammability assays indicate that E. globulus , A. dealbata , and C. alba are extremely flammable, whereas P. radiata and Q. saponaria are flammable. Furthermore, E. globulus and A. dealbata have the highest heating values while Q. saponaria has the lowest values. The extreme flammability of E. globulus, A. dealbata , and C. alba indicates a high susceptibility to ignite. Furthermore, the high heat of combustion of E. globulus and A. dealbata can be associated with a high energy release, increasing the risk of fires spreading. In contrast, Q. saponaria has the lowest predisposition to ignite and capacity to release heat. Accordingly, this work shows that all studied tree species contain organic metabolites that are potentially flammable (sesquiterpenes, aliphatic hydrocarbons, alcohol esters, ketones, diterpenes, and triterpenes) and can be considered as drivers of flammability in vegetation. Finally, these preliminary results will aid in the construction of more resilient landscapes in the near future.

Introduction: In Chile, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) mainly affects preterm infants, with an incidence of 0.3 to 2.4 per 1,000 live births, and 8 to 12% in preterm infants weighing less than 1,500 grams., Objective: To describe health professionals perceptions on the use of human colostrum as a preventive measu re against necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm newborns., Subjects and Method: Qualitative study, using 18 semi-structured individual interviews of health professionals in three public hospitals of the Valparaíso Region. The interview included 3 topics: Knowledge, Perception of early colostrum supply and Opinion about the extent of the measure, and 6 subtopics, 2 for each topic respectively: Self-perception of knowledge level and Sources of information; Experience: positive aspects/adverse events and Opinion of colostrum as a protective factor for enterocolitis; Facilitating or hindering aspects and Opinion about the measure as national policy. Data were processed through qualitative content analysis., Results: Two of the three high-complexity neonatal units of the Valparaíso Re gion have a protocol for administrating colostrum in premature infants. Participants have a positive opinion about the preventive results of this measure. Even in the third hospital where there is no protocol, they have a favorable perception of its potential benefit and its low cost of implementa tion. However, we observed that this procedure requires more evidence and an application protocol. Other limitations would be the lack of staffing and training and the need for equipment and supplies., Conclusions: Professionals who have applied a colostrum administration protocol in preterm infants in the Valparaíso Region report good health outcomes and promote team motivation towards this practice. However, it is relevant to the dissemination and discussion of national and international protocols, as well as the development of local research. Given the ongoing experiences in Chile and the international debate, we considered appropriate to address and discuss the topic within the na tional health community.