Chile has declared a state of emergency because of massive forest fires happening across the country. At least 51 people have died, and officials believe more deaths could occur.
Chilean President Gabriel Boric announced the state of emergency and said the military would send more help to the affected areas. The emergency declaration covers the provinces of Marga Marga and Valparaíso.
To manage the situation better, a curfew was put in place in certain areas to allow emergency teams to work without interference. Around 92 fires are currently active, burning about 43,000 hectares of land.
Firefighters have contained 40 fires but are still fighting against 29 others.
At least one person has been arrested in connection to the wildfires in Chile. The person was doing welding work at home in Talca, central Chile, which accidentally started a fire that spread to nearby grasslands.
Emergency crews are focusing on fighting fires in the port city of Valparaíso because they are close to cities. Around 372 people are missing in Valparaíso.
One of the fires in Valparaíso has burned about 6,800 hectares of land. About 1,100 homes have been damaged by the wildfires in Valparaíso.
Authorities are worried because some fires are near cities, which increases the risk to people, homes, and buildings. They are working hard to control the fires and keep people safe.
.Toha, speaking to reporters, mentioned that the number of people who died in the wildfires could increase soon. This is because authorities are still trying to get information from areas they haven’t reached yet.
Among the people who died, at least six were in hospitals receiving treatment for burns. This information was confirmed by authorities.