Wildfires in Chile: 40 flames are still burning, bringing the death toll to 112. Ten things to be aware of

Chilean flames: According to an Interior Ministry official, the number of confirmed deaths from the country’s catastrophic wildfires has risen to 112, as reported by AFP. Interior Minister Carolina Toha declared that the fires over the weekend were “without a doubt” the deadliest in Chilean history. Approximately 26,000 hectares (64,000 acres) had burned in the central and southern regions by Sunday, according to AFP, which cited the national disaster service SENAPRED.

Undersecretary Manuel Monsalve stated at a press conference on Sunday that the medical examiner had received reports of “112 people dead, 32 bodies identified,” and that there were still “40 active fires” across the nation.

Here are 10 things you should be aware of.

1. The strongest fires occurred on Sunday in Viña del Mar, when a well-known botanical park founded in 1931 was completely destroyed by the flames. At least 1,600 people were without a home.
2. The flames started as a result of a heat wave that is affecting Chile and other Latin American nations.
3. Residents in Chile’s core areas were forced to evacuate their homes as smoke enveloped the country’s coastal cities, prompting the declaration of a state of emergency.
4. Several neighborhoods on the eastern edge of Viña del Mar were enveloped in smoke and flames, trapping some residents inside their homes. According to officials and the AP, 200 people have been reported missing in Viña del Mar and the surrounding area.
5. According to CNN, President Gabriel Boric declared on Sunday that Monday and Tuesday will be observed as national mourning days in remembrance of the fire victims. He also said that the death toll “will increase significantly” during a conference.
6. According to Rodrigo Mundaca, the governor of the Valparaiso region, a curfew was imposed on Sunday in the municipalities of Vina del Mar, Quilpue, Villa Alemana, and Limache so that officials could focus on extinguishing the flames.
7. The mayor of Quilpe, Valeria Melipillan, told CNN Chile that 1,400 homes had been damaged in what was “probably the largest ever” fire in the community. Melipillan pointed out that despite the success of the evacuation efforts, a number of people living in the affected districts had shown a reluctance to leave their homes.
8. Pope Francis asked the public to offer prayers for the victims of wildfires. “Pray for the deceased and injured victims of the devastating fires that have affected central Chile,” he wrote in a post on X.
9. In a televised announcement on Saturday, President Boric of Chile stated that the defense ministry would send more military personnel and supplies to the affected districts.
10. More than 22 people lost their lives to flames that burned over 400,000 hectares in the nation in February 2023.