Chile declared a state of emergency for the port cities of Valparaiso and Vina del Mar Friday after a forest fire broke out.
Approximately, 4,500 people fled their homes and about 740 acres of land has been affected, according to the BBC.
The fire is still burning, but the majority of the residents have returned home because the fire does not pose a risk to human life, ABC Online reported. The incident led to the death of a 67-year-old woman who appeared to suffer a heart attack. About 21 people suffered injuries in the blaze, including 15 firefighters. Two of the firefighters are in serious condition.
The fire started in a landfill in the grassland and pine forest area near a thoroughfare that connects Valparaiso with other villages, and it threatened the UNESCO World Heritage site. High temperatures and strong winds have caused the blaze to continue to burn, particularly on the city's hillsides, deputy interior secretary Mahmud Aleuy said. However, the fire is contained.
No houses were destroyed, but about 50 people remained in shelters Saturday. Volunteers rescued some puppies Saturday while patrolling the area. Authorities have asked the public to avoid traveling to the area. They have also dispatched soldiers and night patrols with seven aircrafts and eight helicopters to watch over the region.
Valparaiso suffered from a forest fire in April last year, which killed 15 people, injured more than 500 and destroyed about 3,000 homes, according to the BBC.
