At least 46 people have died, and about 1,100 houses have been damaged in the devastating forest fires that have gripped a heavily populated region of central Chile, according to the nation's president on Saturday evening, February 3.
A Call for Cooperation
As four massive flames rage in the Valparaiso area, making it difficult for firemen to access the most vulnerable communities, President Gabriel Boric issued a stern warning in a nationally broadcast speech that the death toll might rise.
According to The Associated Press, Boric called on the people of Chile to help the rescuers. "If you are told to evacuate don't hesitate to do it. The fires are advancing fast and climatic conditions have made them difficult to control. There are high temperatures, strong winds and low humidity."
Warm weather this week has caused 92 forest fires, as per Interior Minister Carolina Tohá, who made the announcement earlier on Saturday. The flames are raging over the country's central and southern regions.
Authorities in the Valparaíso area encouraged thousands of residents to leave their homes after the flames there killed many individuals.
Meanwhile, those in locations farther from the flames were advised to remain inside so that emergency vehicles such as fire trucks, ambulances, and others could navigate the roadways more easily.
Enormous Devastation
The Guardian reports that at least 8,000 hectares (19,770 acres) have reportedly been consumed by two fires near the villages of Quilpué and Villa Alemana since Friday, February 2. Some neighborhoods in the seaside vacation town of Viña del Mar had already been severely affected by one of the fires, and the town itself was in danger.
Several blocks of houses and shops were leveled in the hillside community of Villa Independencia, which is located on the town's eastern boundary. The streets were littered with ash, and wrecked vehicles with shattered glass lined them.
In order to combat the fires, Tohá said that three shelters were established in the Valparaíso district and that around 450 firemen and 19 helicopters were sent to the area.
Neighborhoods constructed dangerously on the edge of Viña del Mar and other mountains that are hard to approach were engulfed in flames.
Fire officials reported power outages, and Tohá added that four hospitals and three nursing homes for the elderly had to be evacuated in the Valparaíso district. Two bus terminals were also damaged in the fire, said the Ministry of the Interior.
