The Chilean National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senapred) reported that the forest fires – which broke out in the country at the beginning of February – left 26 deaths.
This, after the death of a Belgian citizen, married to a Chilean woman, who lived in the Biobío region and who had been hospitalized for several days due to burns; refers a dispatch of Latin Press.
According to the report presented by Senapred, Biobío concentrates the highest number of deaths due to accidents, with 17 cases; followed by La Araucanía (8) and Ñuble (1).
The forest fires also caused some two thousand wounded or injured and 7,657 homeless.
The flames devoured 2,410 houses and more than 450,000 hectares of forests, crops and pastures.
For its part, according to the recent balance of Senapred, there are 197 active fires, 26 of them in combat and 138 controlled
This Monday, the deputy director of Senapred, Mauricio Tapia, pointed out that “this week it is very likely that we will generate an evaluation space to maintain or change the red alerts to yellow.”
“Today the focus is well centralized in the Biobío Region,” he emphasized in an interview with Cooperative local portal.
Recently, the Government of Chile awarded recognition to the Venezuelan forest fire brigade for its contribution in fighting the fires that are plaguing various regions of that country.
The recognition was delivered within the framework of the commemoration of the National Day of the Forest Brigade in Chile.
The Venezuelan ambassador accredited in Chile, Arévalo Méndez, received the distinction on behalf of the Bolivarian Government, the embassy in that country reported through its Twitter account.
The Government of Venezuela sent 53 specialists in forestry to Chile to support the fight against the fires that affect the country.
This is a contingent belonging to Inparques, which includes specialists in forest fires, hand-to-hand combat, and fire-fighting strategists.