The Chilean authorities indicated that about 40 fires destroyed about 35,000 acres at a time when a summer heat wave was sweeping the country in the southern hemisphere.
Local authorities said 11 people, including a firefighter, died in the town of Santa Juana in Biobio, about 500 km south of the capital, Santiago.
And the Minister of Agriculture announced the crash of an emergency support helicopter in the southern region of “La Araucanía”, killing two people, according to Reuters.
Interior Minister Carolina Tuha said hundreds of homes had been damaged while 39 fires had broken out across the country.
“The conditions in the coming days will be very dangerous,” she told reporters.
On Friday, Chilean President Gabriel Boric cut short his summer vacation and traveled to the towns of Noble and Biobio.
“My role as president today is to make sure that all resources will be available for emergencies and that people feel that they are not alone,” said Borek of BioBio.
He also indicated that there are “indications” that some fires may have been started deliberately.
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