Israeli Tourist Charged for Starting a Fire at Torres del Paine to Donate $1 Million to Firefighters and Banned from Chile for One Year

Original article: Turista israelí formalizado por hacer fuego en las Torres del Paine «donará» $1 millón a bomberos y no podrá entrar a Chile en 1 año

An Israeli tourist named Halifa Nevo, charged with igniting a fire in Torres del Paine National Park, has reached a judicial agreement with the prosecution to donate one million pesos to the Última Esperanza fire department. Additionally, he is prohibited from entering Chile for a duration of one year.

The individual was formally charged on January 14 in the Guarantee Court of Puerto Natales after being caught smoking a cigarette in the park, which is strictly prohibited due to the high risk of starting a wildfire.

According to the Magallanes Prosecutor’s Office, the incident took place at the Dickson campsite, where an employee from a concession company (Vértice) caught Halifa Nevo smoking in an unauthorized area.

«The worker documented the infraction with a photograph, which facilitated an immediate report to Conaf and the Carabineros of Chile, triggering the appropriate proceedings,» stated the prosecutor’s office.

In this context, they added, «The Public Ministry sought to propose certain conditions that would allow for compensation for the offense committed, which included urging the defendant to make a donation to the Última Esperanza firefighters.»

«The payment for him is set at one million pesos, and he was also given a one-year ban from returning to the country,» the regional prosecutor’s office clarified, announcing that the donation would be made on this upcoming Monday, February 2.

El Ciudadano