Intense forest fires have claimed at least 19 lives and destroyed over 1,000 homes in central and southern Chile. The deadliest blazes have occurred in the region of Valparaíso, where authorities are urging residents to stay indoors to allow emergency vehicles to navigate through the area more easily.
Chile’s interior minister, Carolina Tohá, disclosed that there are currently 92 forest fires in the central and southern regions of the country with unusually high temperatures. Two of the fires near the towns of Quilpué and Villa Alemana have already burned through at least 8,000 hectares (19,770 acres) since Friday, posing a threat to the coastal resort town of Viña del Mar.
In Villa Independencia, a hillside neighborhood on the eastern edge of Viña del Mar, numerous homes and businesses have been completely destroyed. Residents have shared accounts of the rapid spread of the fires, leaving them with nothing and forcing them to flee for their lives within minutes.
To address the crisis, three shelters have been set up in the Valparaíso region, and additional resources have been mobilized, including 19 helicopters and more than 450 firefighters. However, the steep and hard-to-reach mountain terrain has made it challenging for rescue teams to access the most affected areas.
The devastating fires have also led to blackouts in the region, necessitating the evacuation of hospitals and nursing homes, as well as the destruction of two bus terminals. The El Niño weather pattern has exacerbated the situation, with droughts and hotter-than-usual temperatures increasing the risk of forest fires in the western parts of South America.
The current situation in Chile underscores the urgent need for international cooperation and support to combat the escalating threat of wildfires, as communities grapple with the catastrophic loss of life and property.