Unfinished extinction and the velocities of capitalist sacrifices in the woodlands of central Chile

Abstract

Through an exploration of the reconstruction process of the town of Santa Olga, which acquired nationwide relevance in Chile when it was destroyed by massive wildfires that occurred in 2017, in this paper we attempt to explain a paradox: that which totally destroys Santa Olga is precisely what ends up saving it. To do this, we first unravel the birth of the town to try to understand why, for its inhabitants, Santa Olga can be sacrificed. Then we describe the visibility that Santa Olga reached, thanks to its tragedy. Finally, we reflect on the way the velocity of disasters enables or limits the visibility of the sacrifices they convey, an interplay that ends with an unfinished extinction.

Keywords

• wildfire
• santa olga
• sacrifice zone
• extractivism
• disaster