Raging forest fires in Chile kill 46; toll likely to rise

Chilean President Gabriel Boric reported on Saturday that the ongoing forest fires in Chile have claimed the lives of 46 people, with expectations that the death toll may increase, according to NBC News. Interior Minister Carolina Toha, during a press conference, revealed that there are currently 92 active fires across Chile, affecting over 43,000 hectares and impacting more than 1,100 homes.

President Boric, in a virtual address, expressed condolences for the loss of lives and homes and assured Chileans that the government is actively mobilizing resources. He stated, “I know that it is a very difficult time to lose the house that was built with so many years of sacrifice. Losing a family member, a loved one, is a heartbreak impossible to measure, but rest assured that our government is deployed with all the human, technical and budgetary resources.”

The wildfires have led to evacuations in various regions of central Chile. While the fires this year haven’t spread as extensively as those in February 2023, Toha emphasized that they are rapidly multiplying and moving closer to urban areas, posing a high potential for affecting more people and structures.

The fires coincided with a heat wave affecting several Latin American countries. In response, President Boric declared a state of emergency, and red alerts were issued for vulnerable areas. The Education Ministry in Chile has established 20 shelters in Valparaiso, O’Higgins, and Los Lagos regions.

Boric conducted an aerial assessment of the impacted areas and highlighted the government’s proactive measures. “We have worked to have the greatest resources in our history to face the wildfire season and deploy them from day one to prevent (forest fires) and help people,” he stated, according to NBC News.

To combat the blazes, 19 helicopters and over 450 firefighters have been mobilized. All mass commercial events in Valparaiso, including sports, recreation, and cultural activities, were suspended to concentrate efforts on firefighting.