Firefighters are responding to a massive forest fire that broke out in central Chile on Friday. Authorities extended curfews in the cities worst hit by the fires, where they said at least 99 people had died.
The fires were burning most intensely around the city of Viña del Mar, where the Botanical Garden, founded in 1931, was destroyed by the blaze. At least 1,600 people were left homeless.
Flames and smoke erupted in the east end of the city, trapping some people in their homes. Officials said 200 people were missing in Vina del Mar and surrounding areas. This city of 300,000 people is a popular beach resort.
Drone footage taken by Reuters in the Viña del Mar region showed entire neighborhoods scorched, with tin roofs collapsing and residents scavenging through the burnt shells of houses. Burnt cars littered the road.
Valparaíso region Governor Rodrigo Mundaka said on Sunday that he believed some of the fires may have been intentionally set, echoing a theory that President Gabriel Bolić also mentioned on Saturday.
“These fires started in four different locations and burned at the same time,” Mundaka said. “As authorities, we need to work rigorously to determine who is responsible.”
Chile’s state coroner, the Judicial Medical Office, said 99 people died in the fire and 32 bodies were identified.
The wildfires around Viña del Mar occurred in mountainous, forested areas that are difficult to access. But despite efforts by Chilean authorities to quell the flames, they moved into densely populated areas on the city’s periphery.
On Saturday, Boric said unusually high temperatures, low humidity and high wind speeds were making it difficult to control wildfires in central Chile that had already burned 8,000 hectares of forest and urban areas.
Authorities are calling on residents in the affected areas to evacuate their homes as soon as possible, but residents in areas far from the fire scene are urged to stay indoors to facilitate the arrival of fire trucks and ambulances. .
A curfew was imposed in Viña del Mar and the neighboring cities of Quilpue and Villa Alemana as part of efforts to prevent looting.
The fires occurred during a week of record high temperatures in central Chile. Over the past two months, El Niño weather patterns have caused drought and high temperatures across western South America, and also increased the risk of forest fires.
Partnership with Reuters and Associated Press
