Chile declares state of emergency due to forest fires

At least 131 people have died in forest fires that hit the tourist area of Valparaíso and the regions of O'Higgins, Maule, Biobío, La Araucanía and Los Lagos in central and southern Chile, according to a provisional official report. Authorities referred to the event as an "unprecedented catastrophe."

"The Undersecretary of Interior reported that, on Sunday night, the Forensic Medical Service confirmed that 131 people have been killed due to the forest fires, and 32 bodies have been identified. While various institutions have referred their personnel to accelerate the removal of the bodies and the identification process," said the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service.

President Gabriel Boric flew over the emergency zone on Saturday aboard a helicopter.

Boric summoned the Disaster Risk Management Committee (Cogrid) shortly after midnight on Saturday to assess the severity of the damages and those affected by the flames, which spread ferociously within hours due to extreme heat. The president decreed "a state of emergency for the catastrophe in order to make available all the necessary resources" to fight the fires.

Firefighters and emergency services personnel are fighting 10 outbreaks that are affecting, in addition to Valparaíso, the regions of O'Higgins (also in the center of the country) and Maule, Biobío, La Araucanía and Los Lagos (in the south). At the moment, no reports on the number of damaged homes or people evacuated have been released. In Valparaíso alone, the fire has consumed more than 7,000 hectares in an "extreme" fire, according to the National Forestry Corporation. Chilean authorities announced the imposition of a curfew for this Saturday, February 3, to facilitate evacuation efforts and the work of firefighting teams.

In La Estrella and Navidad, about 125 miles southwest of Santiago, authorities reported that other uncontrolled fires burned 27 homes, forcing the evacuation of several populated areas near the Pichilemu Surf Hotel.

Mountains and hills are also burning at the end of Route 68, where thousands of tourists left on their way to beaches this Friday. Videos went viral on social media taken by people who were stranded on the completely blocked alternative routes.