Chile fights 165 active fires in 10 regions of the country in another deadly summer

A total of 165 forest fires remain active in 10 regions of Chiliamong them from coastal Valparaíso, where the chain of fire that started on Friday reached the suburbs of the city of Viña del Mar, causing 112 deaths so far, in what is already the greatest tragedy since the 2010 earthquake.

According to the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senapred), in the aforementioned coastal region alone, nearly 8,500 hectares have already burned, including dozens of irregular camps (tomas) that hung from the hills near the Lake Peñuelas natural park. .

Additionally, it is estimated that nearly 3,000 homes have suffered serious structural damage while a similar number have been affected in some way by the fire, just in the region of Valparaiso.

In that same region, the flames have also destroyed more than 1,500 hectares and numerous houses in the communes of Quilpué and Villa Alemana, epicenters of the tragedy. They are also facing a fire that destroys 1,500 hectares.

The fire, fueled by the wind and the temperatures Extreme extremes suffered by the center of the country in this hot southern summer have also been unleashed in several forest areas of the metropolitan region, which includes the capital and is the most populated in Chile, along with neighboring Valparaíso.

According to Senapred, there is a large focus in the commune of Alhué, where nearly 467 hectares remain compromised by the fire that was unleashed on Sunday.

To the south of both regions, in O’Higgins, 4,235 hectares have been devastated by a fire in the La Estrella area, still active but now controlled, which has caused 17 victims and destroyed 39 homes.

In the same region, in the Christmas commune, fire units are still fighting to control several low-intensity fires that affect about 1,000 hectares, have destroyed 27 homes and left 36 people affected and numerous domestic and farm animals burned.

In the central region of La Araucanía, one of the most affected by the serious fires Last year, there are two active outbreaks in the communes of Lonquimay – threatening 1,400 hectares – and in Galvarino, where the fight with the flames continues in 440 hectares in four different sectors, with dozens of people evacuated.