At least 51 people have been killed by fierce forest fires in Chile. The authorities expect this number to increase further.
The central Valparaiso region has been particularly hard hit by the fires. The fire brigade is having great difficulty getting the fire under control. Despite the use of helicopters, among other things, the authorities are having difficulty reaching all affected areas. Earlier, President Gabriel Boric declared a state of emergency.
Many people have been evacuated because hundreds of houses are at risk of going up in flames. The forest fires are said to have destroyed an area of about 1,800 hectares, according to figures from the Chilean Forest Management Organization. That’s more than 2,500 football fields. Strong winds and high temperatures make extinguishing the fire more difficult.
The cause is drought and a heat wave. It has been about forty degrees in parts of Chile since Wednesday. The climate phenomenon El Niño contributes to the extreme weather situation.