Chile declares state of emergency as raging forest fires kill more than 50 along coastal tourists towns

Forest fires spreading throughout Chile's Valparaíso region have killed at least 51 people, according to authorities in the South American country.

An estimated 45 of the 51 were killed at the scene while another six died in medical centers from burn wounds, authorities said.

The popular coastal town of Valparaíso, which is located only 72 miles from the nation’s capital city of Santiago often receives many tourists during its summer season. Chile’s summer season is currently taking place, having started on Dec. 22, 2023 and ending March 20, 2024.

Argentinian President Gabriel Boric declared a state of emergency, vowing to make “all necessary resources” available to government personnel to handle the blossoming crisis.

Last year, the Pacific coastal country suffered from a series of deadly wildfires that tore through Ñuble and Biobío, but this recent blaze may be Chile’s more devastating forest fire to date.

To combat the developing situation, the Argentinian Ministry of Health asked area hospitals to temporarily cease all non-emergency surgical procedures so they can redirect their resources into temporary field hospitals to treat those being harmed by the fires.

The government’s search for personnel was so significant, local facilities have begun hiring senior medical students to assist hospitals and health services, according to the ministry although rescue workers have reportedly faced challenges in getting access to hard-to-reach areas.

As such, the Chilean government has asked nearby residents not to travel to the areas that have been impacted by the forest fires.

Interior Minister Carolina Tohá said the death toll would “reach much higher figures” by the end of the weekend. 

One 61-year-old resident who spoke to AFP news agency, Rodrigo Pulgar, said his homeland quickly began to resemble “hell” as he watched flames ablaze.

Pulgar told the Argentinian press agency that people were placed in a fight or flight mode, forced to make difficult decisions as to whether risking their own lives to save others, if at all even possible.

While trying to help a nearby neighbor, the 61-year noticed his own house was burning down.

Tragically, he said his neighbor died because he couldn’t get her out. According to Pulgar, most of his neighbors in El Olivar are senior citizens.

“Ash was raining down on us,” Pulgar he explained.

Boric issued a curfew in Limache, Quilpué Viña del Mar and Villa Alemana to minimize potential medical harm and reduce traffic for emergency personnel so they could more easily reach those in need.

Trained military personnel have also been mobilized to assist emergency services and investigate the cause of the fires. An estimated 1,400 firefighters are being mobilized on Sunday, according to the interior minister.

In an attempt to add heat to the area, Chilean authorities have restricted machinery that produces high temperatures in both Valparaíso, and the Marga Marga region.

Between 3,000 and 6,000 houses have been impacted by the fires, according to the housing ministry.

Chile's Valparaíso region is the second largest metropolitan area in the country, and it hosts seaports and a naval military base. It is the headquarters for the country’s naval armed forces, and since 1990 has served as the seat of the Chilean National Congress.