South America
Curfew imposed due to forest fires in Chile
A helicopter is used to extinguish the fire on Monday. photo
© Jose Humberto Campos/Agencia Uno/dpa
The forest fires in Chile continue to rage. 28 people have been arrested so far because they are said to have intentionally set fire. In parts of the affected areas, residents are no longer allowed to go out at night.
A night-time curfew has come into effect in parts of southern Chile, which has been hit by devastating forest fires. It applies in more than 20 communities in the three affected regions of Bío Bío, Ñuble and Araucania from midnight to 5 a.m., as reported by the broadcaster “Bio Bio Chile” on Thursday (local time).
According to this, the army and police began preparing in the evening to enforce the measure announced by Chilean President Gabriel Boric.
At least 26 dead
So far, at least 26 people have died in the severe forest fires. Around 1,200 houses were destroyed in the fires on more than 350,000 hectares of land in the center and south of the country. President Boric had interrupted his vacation in Patagonia in the far south of the country to visit the affected areas. The government declared a state of emergency for the three affected regions. This allows certain rights to be restricted and extraordinary measures to be taken. For example, the military can be used.
The causes of the fires were initially unclear. The great heat with temperatures around 40 degrees makes extinguishing work difficult. It is midsummer in the South American country. According to the Ministry of the Interior, 28 people have been arrested so far because they are said to have intentionally set fires.