A series of wildfires has devastated homes, farmland and livestock in a large area of southern and central Chile over the past week.
A prolonged drought and high temperatures have worsened the blazes, which have so far destroyed around 300,000 acres of forest land and killed three firefighters.
The government has declared a state of emergency, deployed 1,200 troops to support the efforts of firefighters, and appealed for help from other countries.
Chile has “practically exhausted its capacity to fight the blaze,” President Michelle Bachelet said, adding that her country was living through “the greatest forest disaster in our history.”
Fierce winds and smoldering ash have complicated the challenge of containing the blazes.
So far, no civilians have been killed, though many have lost their homes, property and animals.
A series of wildfires has devastated homes, farmland and livestock in a large area of southern and central Chile over the past week.
A prolonged drought and high temperatures have worsened the blazes, which have so far destroyed around 300,000 acres of forest land and killed three firefighters. The government has declared a state of emergency, deployed 1,200 troops to support the efforts of firefighters, and appealed for help from other countries.
Chile has “practically exhausted its capacity to fight the blaze,” President Michelle Bachelet said, adding that her country was living through “the greatest forest disaster in our history.”
Fierce winds and smoldering ash have complicated the challenge of containing the blazes.
So far, no civilians have been killed, though many have lost their homes, property and animals.
The town of Pumanque, in the central region of O’Higgins, has been hit especially hard. Many residents have seen their possessions and livelihoods destroyed. Heavy machinery has been deployed to help clear the carcasses of livestock killed in the fires. Firefighters have dropped water from helicopters and dug trenches to try to quell the flames.
Some residents, lacking any training or protective gear, have used tree branches and bottles of water to try to douse the flames.
The fire has provided an eerie, almost apocalyptic, backdrop to areas where the fires have raged.
For many Chileans, the ferocity of the fires has left few options other than to try to get to a safe place and wait for the flames to pass.
We’re interested in your feedback on this page. Tell us what you think.
