Fires in Chile: One dead, five injured, dozens of houses in ashes

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The fire in the Melipiya community is still not under control after it broke out on December 11, ONEMI stated in a press release.

The fires that have been raging in Chile in recent days have killed one person, injured five others and damaged or completely destroyed 46 homes in the Santiago metropolitan area, where 6,500 hectares have been charred, the ministry’s national emergency response agency (ONEMI) said. Interior yesterday Tuesday.

The fire in the Melipiya community is still not under control after it broke out on December 11, ONEMI stated in a press release.

At least 184 citizens were left homeless.

Among the injured is a 67-year-old woman with burns on 11% of her body, health authorities told media.

Agriculture Minister Esteban Valenzuela told reporters on Monday that 52% of the fires in Chile were due to negligence or accidents, 12% had an unknown cause or were being investigated, and just 1% were due to natural causes. It was established that 35% of fires are attributed to arson.

The arsonists “cannot go unpunished”, emphasized Mr. Valenzuela, demanding that the prosecution “take action”, that there be no “impunity”.

Forest fires this season have already charred over 40,000 hectares of vegetated land and are threatening several communities.

Sectors in the central part of the country, including the metropolitan area of ​​the capital Santiago, Valparaiso, O’Higgins and Maule were declared on red alert in the last 24 hours.

The day before Monday, Interior Minister Carolina Toa expressed concern that “despite the danger, there is resistance to (authorities’) recommendations for citizens to leave their homes.”

Forest fires are common in Chile during the southern hemisphere summer, when high temperatures and strong winds create ideal conditions for their rapid spread.

RES-EMP

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