The Government of Chile announced that the crisis caused by the wave of fires, which until this Saturday has caused 24 deaths and destroyed more than 440,000 hectares, is beginning to be overcome after ten days of emergency.
“We have 12 new fires, and at some point in this crisis we had 86 new fires in a single day. That means that we are in a better situation”, stressed the Minister of the Interior, Carolina Tohá.
However, he warned that the large fires cannot be put out until the end of February.
The latest balance indicated that 312 active sources remain, 98 of which are being fought.
Tohá also reported that a small plane capsized near the town of Hualqui, in the Biobío region (527 km from Santiago), but that the pilot survived and is being treated at a medical center.
Since February 3, the flames caused the death of at least 24 people in the first days of the incident and have left 2,674 injured in the regions of Maule, Ñuble, Biobío and La Araucanía.
A spokesman for the National Forestry Corporation (Conaf) told the AFP that currently the fires are affecting the vegetation zones and, to a lesser extent, the residential zones.
“There are communities that are still in danger, but the population’s exposure to risk is decreasing,” said Rolando Pardo, head of Forest Fire Prevention at Conaf.
The expert indicated that during the first four days of the crisis, about 80 emergency alerts were received daily, but that these have decreased to an average of three in recent days.
The emergency has left 5,576 people homeless.
Weather conditions are also expected to help improve the scenario.
The Chilean Meteorological Directorate announced Thursday that the temperature in the central zone could drop to between 27 and 29 degrees Celsius.
This Tuesday, 80 new brigade members will arrive from France, who will join the international aid provided by eleven countries, including Argentina, Spain, Mexico and the United States.
In addition, 55 Ecuadorian firefighters left for Chile to help fight forest fires.
The groups of reinforcement brigades in forest fires that traveled to Chile are from six different locations
Thank you dear President for your support and solidarity in this difficult time. Just like I told you when we spoke, we will stand up! A hug to Ecuador 🇨🇱🤝🇪🇨 https://t.co/JM7OHoBZWt
—Gabriel Boric Font (@GabrielBoric) February 10, 2023
Source: Eluniverso
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