The government of kilos reported this Sunday that there are 10 inmates for his alleged involvement in the devastating fires which are destroying thousands of hectares in the center and south of the country and which remain so far 24 victims.
“The intentional generation of fires will be prosecuted by the government. The law is particularly harsh (…) The sentences range from 5 to 20 years”, assured the undersecretary of the Interior, Manuel Monsalve, at a press conference.
In the last few hours, a man hospitalized in the town of Angol, in the La Araucanía region, died of serious injuries, which brought the number of deaths caused by the fires to 24.
Monsalve indicated that in addition “there are 26 people hospitalized with severe burns” and that more than 100,000 hectares and 800 homes have already been destroyed. The fires coincide with a long drought that has lasted for more than thirteen years and an unprecedented heat wave in the south.
According to the latest report by the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senapred) of the Chilean Interior Ministry, there are currently 260 active fires across the countryincluding 51 in combat.
The most affected regions are Ñuble, Biobío and La Araucanía, areas of intense agricultural and forestry activity located respectively 400, 500 and 700 kilometers south of the Chilean capital. The rapid spread of the flames caused the eviction of dozens of citizens who reside in the neighboring municipalities.
The undersecretary assured it “fire activity overnight was less than expected” because temperatures eased slightly, but he warned that starting Tuesday, the southern region will experience a new heat wave, with historic temperatures that can reach 40 degrees Celsius.
“76 new fires were generated on Friday, Saturday the 16th and today, right now, we have 8 new fires. Let’s hope they don’t continue to grow,” Monsalve said.
The Chilean government has asked countries such as Spain, Mexico, Argentina and the United States for international help to fight the fire, and decreed the state of disaster in the three most affected regions.
The images remember the wave of wildfires that hit southern Chile in 2017the most serious so far and in which about ten people died.
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.