In pictures: Wildfires in Chile continue to rage
- Published
Dry and hot conditions in Chile, a country in south America, have led to lots of wild and forest fires. Strong winds in the area haven't helped, as they've made them spread quickly across the country.
Wildfires need three things in order to start: fuel, oxygen, and heat. Firefighters sometimes call this the fire triangle. They don't take a lot to ignite - a spark from a train coming down the tracks can be enough. Sometimes they're started naturally by a strike of lightning. Often though, they're caused by humans, such as when campfires are left behind without being properly put out.
Thousands of people have had to leave their homes, and more than 20 people have died as a result of the fires.
A state of emergency has now been declared in southern region of Araucania. This is now in addition to the two nearby states of Biobío and Ñuble. This order allows the government to send in the army to help put fires out and rescue people. On Friday, Chilean President Gabriel Boric cut short his summer vacation and travelled to Biobío and Ñuble, pledging to make sure the affected areas receive all necessary support.
However, this is proving very difficult. A Chilean government minister called Carolina Toha said: "Weather conditions have made it very difficult to put out (the fires) that are spreading and the emergency is getting worse."
It's reported that another 16 fires sparked to life on Saturday, as temperatures reached over 40 degrees Celsius. Officials in Chile said Spain, the US, Argentina, Ecuador, Brazil and Venezuela have offered help, for example by sending planes and firefighters.
The national forestry agency in Chile called CONAF said on Saturday that 80 of the 231 total wildfires are currently being fought by emergency services. They've also said 151 of them are now under control. Not only that, but 90% of the wildfires have reportedly been put out before they got bigger than 12 acres (which is 120,000 square metres).
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