Anthropic Resilience for Vulnerable Habitat: Normative and Social Convergence in the Post-Fire Experience of Valparaíso, Chile

Convergência normativa e social na experiência pós-incêndio de Valparaíso, Chile.

Abstract

The Valparaíso region of Chile has been repeatedly affected by wildfires throughout its history. Wildfires are a type of disaster that has proven particularly difficult to incorporate into urban and building codes. Unlike earthquakes or tsunamis, which have led to the development of measurement scales, monitoring systems, and established seismic standards, wildfires exhibit more variable behavior, dependent on the specific conditions of each area. This is due, firstly, to the complexity of the phenomenon—as it is difficult to  predict  how  it  will  spread  and  affect  each location— and, secondly, to the difficulty of regulating building and living practices. Furthermore, the city of Valparaíso is comprised of ravines historically inhabited by families whose lives and ways of living have developed in close connection with the land. Therefore, displacing these communities is not a viable solution.