(Reuters) – Forest fires across south-central Chile that have left 24 people dead, swallowed up hundreds of houses and left thousands injured in their wake spread into new areas on Wednesday after raging overnight.
The area affected by the flames has now spread to cover 294,058 hectares (726,633.14 acres), Chilean authorities said, an area four times the size of Singapore.
Some 2,180 people have been injured and 1,180 houses have been destroyed, authorities said, with most of the deaths and damages taking place across the south-central Biobio, Araucania and Ñuble regions.
“The 2011 wildfire burnt down my house, all the trees, everything,” Enrique Narvaez told Reuters as he watched firefighters in Quillon work to quench the blaze near his home. “I don’t want to go through the same again now.”
In Concepcion, capital of the Biobio region and one of Chile’s largest cities, people cared for animals such as small deer injured by the fires.
“There is a massive public effort going on,” Interior Minister Carolina Toha said in a briefing, adding that there was a nationwide scarcity of water tanks.
“We request and we demand that all providers with this type of equipment to make them available,” she said. “There is a priority to get water to those affected.”
Chile’s President Gabriel Boric said he had spoken with his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who offered $672,000 in aid, backing up an air force jet with firefighting equipment, personnel and experts.
A day earlier, a Chilean minister had confirmed the help of international brigades from Colombia and Mexico, and said that 17 people had been arrested for possible links to starting the fires, such as welding or burning clothing.
He warned that high temperatures forecast for this week could further complicate the situation.
($1 = 5.2085 reais)
(Reporting by Sarah Morland in Mexico City and Reuters TV; Additional reporting by Juan Gonzalez in Concepcion, Chile; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
