Codelco has halted processing at its Andina copper division after an obstruction in the tailings transport system near the Rápido RV4 sector caused a partial tailings release that may have entered the Blanco River within the Río Blanco canyon, upstream of the Aconcagua River basin. Emergency actions include shutting the concentrator, suspending tailings transport, diverting flows to the Piuquenitos reservoir, and continuous river sampling, while water utility Esval has closed its Aconcagua surface intake and switched to underground sources for Los Andes. The incident coincides with disclosure of 42,100 tonnes of previously inflated copper output and a 17,000‑tonne inventory reporting discrepancy, intensifying regulatory and community scrutiny of tailings and water-risk management at Andina.

Wildfires could damage or destroy between 133,000 and 449,000 structures across the US from 2024 to 2060 if current development patterns and limited adaptation persist, according to a new peer‑reviewed risk assessment. The projected losses nearly triple current estimates, driven by continued expansion of housing into the wildland–urban interface and inadequate fire‑resilient design. For civil and geotechnical engineers, this signals rising demand for fire‑hardening of infrastructure, updated land‑use planning, and performance‑based codes for foundations, retaining systems and utilities in high‑risk corridors.

Researchers at the University of Hertfordshire are launching a detailed investigation into the façade “chimney effect” that allowed flames and smoke to race up Grenfell Tower’s cladding system in 2017. The work will focus on how ventilated cavity geometry, insulation and cladding panel configuration influenced vertical fire spread and smoke movement. Findings are expected to inform future façade fire engineering, including cavity barrier design, material selection and test methods for high-rise residential towers.