Wildfires in Chile: Two regions have declared the states of emergency

• While the South American nation of Chile experiences a summer heat wave.
• The pilot and a mechanic were killed in an emergency assistance helicopter crash.
• According to Toha, 39 fires were raging across the nation and hundreds of homes had been damaged.

While the South American nation of Chile experiences a summer heatwave across southern and central swathes of the country, wildfires have killed at least 13 people and burnt approximately 14,000 hectares (35,000 acres).

Carolina Toha, the interior minister, revealed on Friday morning that the government had declared a catastrophe in the Biobo region, joining the neighbouring region uble, which President Gabriel Boric announced on Thursday night. This allowed the deployment of soldiers and more resources.

Local authorities said that 11 persons, including a firefighter, had passed away in Santa Juana, a Biobo village.

The pilot and a mechanic were killed in an emergency assistance helicopter crash in La Araucana’s southern region, according to the agriculture minister Esteban Valenzuela.

According to Toha, 39 fires were raging across the nation and hundreds of homes had been damaged.

“Risky situations are expected during the next few days.”

On Friday, when the flames reached the municipality of Santa Ana, it was already reported that four people had perished and hundreds had been evacuated.

According to Toha, two of the dead were murdered when the road they were travelling on was consumed by fires, and the other two perished in a car accident, perhaps while attempting to flee the blaze.

After shortening his summer vacation, Boric is scheduled to visit the agricultural and forestry regions of Biobió and uble.

The flames are raging between Santiago, Chile’s capital and largest city, and the country’s southernmost area, with the deadliest fires occurring in the cities of Uble and Biobo and the Araucana region.

According to Chile’s disaster organization Senapred, shelters have opened for families impacted by the fires. Senapred stated one person had received burns and eight firemen had minor injuries.

Highway travel has been hampered by the fires, and many municipalities have been evacuated.

146 flames have been put out by authorities. The capital of uble, Chillán, was expected to reach temperatures of over 100°F (38°C) on Friday. The National Forestry Corporation cautioned that there could be strong gusts in the area, which could make the fire conditions worse.

Gabriel Pradenas, the government’s spokesman in uble, told local media that “today, regrettably, we have twice as many hectares burned as in prior years.”

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