Chile is extending its emergency declaration to another region as wildfires continue ravaging parts of the South American country. Firefighters are struggling to contain dozens of wildfires as the death toll rises. This comes as a massive heat wave is also breaking records in the country.

As of Saturday, the death toll has climbed to 22, with the Chilean government declaring a state of catastrophe in the La Araucania region, in addition to the Nuble and Biobio regions. The Associated Press reported that the emergency declaration allows for greater cooperation with the military.

In addition to the 22 deaths recorded, 554 have reportedly been injured, with 16 in serious condition. Chile's Interior Minister Carolina Toha said the death toll will likely rise, as there were unconfirmed reports of at least 10 people still missing.

The Biobio region has the highest number of deaths. Sixteen deaths had been recorded in Biobio, followed by five in La Araucania and one in Nuble. One of those deaths includes a Bolivian pilot who died when a helicopter helping put out the fires crashed in La Araucania. He died along with a Chilean mechanic.

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Wildfires Continue Amid Heat Wave in Chile

As of Saturday morning, 251 wildfires were burning throughout Chile, 151 of which were under control, Chile's Senapred disaster agency reported. It became even more complicated as a major heat wave was battering the country, recording high temperatures in many areas.

Temperatures became so bad that it reportedly reached 38 degrees Celsius or 100 degrees Fahrenheit in Chillan, the capital of Nuble, on Friday. Strong winds have also complicated the firefighting efforts as it risks worsening the fire conditions.

Conditions in Chile Risky Due to Wildfires

Chile's Minister of Agriculture, Esteban Valenzuela, admitted that hundreds of homes have already been damaged in the wildfires, adding that the conditions in the coming days would be risky.

According to the Associated Press, Chile President Gabriel Boric suspended his vacation to travel to the affected areas on Friday to deal with the emergency situation. The president noted that there is some evidence that some of the wildfires were sparked by unauthorized burnings.

He promised that "the full force of the state" will be deployed to fight the fires and accompany all the victims. However, it remained unclear how many houses and other structures have already been ravaged by the fires.

The Chilean president will reportedly travel to Biobio and Nuble, both known for agriculture and forestry, after cutting short his summer vacation, according to The Guardian.

The country has since opened several emergency shelters for the families affected by the wildfires. Aside from burning many homes, fires have also disrupted traffic on highways, and numerous municipalities have been forced to evacuate.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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