By Zoila Palma: Wildfires raging across central and southern Chile have killed at least 19 people, authorities said on Monday, as extreme heat and strong winds fueled nearly two dozen active blazes and forced mass evacuations.
Security Minister Luis Cordero warned that high temperatures, forecast to reach up to 37 degrees Celsius (99 Fahrenheit), could trigger new fires despite some overnight improvement.
According to Reuters, the worst devastation has been reported in and around Penco, a coastal city north of Concepción, where most of the fatalities occurred.
Hundreds of homes have been destroyed, leaving residents sifting through the remains of their properties as firefighters continued battling nearby flames.
Chilean officials estimate that at least 325 homes have been lost, with more than 1,100 others still under evaluation. Many survivors described fast-moving fires driven by sudden winds that left little time to escape.
Chile’s CONAF forestry agency said firefighters were fighting 26 fires nationwide, with the largest concentrated in the Ñuble and Bío Bío regions, where President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe.
The post International News: Wildfires in Chile kill 19 people as extreme heat fans flames appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: Wildfires raging across central and southern Chile have killed at least 19 people, authorities said on Monday, as extreme heat and strong winds fueled nearly two dozen active blazes and forced mass evacuations. Security Minister Luis Cordero warned that high temperatures, forecast to reach up to 37 degrees Celsius (99 Fahrenheit), could
The post International News: Wildfires in Chile kill 19 people as extreme heat fans flames appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
