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Brigade members and international experts began to join the fight against the almost 300 forest fires that hit the south-central zone of Chile, and which have already left 26 dead and more than 1,100 homes destroyed. France, for example, announced the dispatch of 80 firefighters and lifeguards in the next few hours.
Through social networks, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced that “eighty firefighters and rescuers will travel to Chile in the next few hours to support their counterparts who have been fighting valiantly for several days against very intense fires.”
On the eve, President Emmanuel Macron would have expressed to the “Chilean people” and to the “heroes” who are fighting the flames the “support of France to fight this scourge”, as well as his condolences to the families of the victims.
In the last few hours, various devices and specialists in firefighting have arrived in Chile from Spain, Argentina, Mexico and the United States. The latter has sent the “Ten Tanker”, the largest available tanker plane in the world, with the capacity to 36,000 liters.
“We are talking about a catastrophe”
In an interview with RFI, Social Development Minister Giorgio Jackson commented that the difficult weather conditions in southern Chile, such as “strong winds, high temperatures, humidity make it more difficult to fight the fire in the first days.” He added that this situation is classified by the government as a “catastrophe” and that “therefore the armed forces, police officers, brigade members are being deployed to fight the fire and help families.”
Although in the last two days the strong temperatures have decreased, the official adds that perhaps this Thursday the thermometers will reach 43° again and for this, “we are preparing so that there are no new sources of fire.”
Likewise, Jackson commented that there are “several investigations underway” into whether or not there was intentionality in many of the fires and that this “has also been a safety concern.”
Also listen: interview with Giorgio Jackson, Minister of Social Development of Chile
Listen to the full interview with Giorgio Jackson, Minister of Social Development of Chile
At a time when President Gabriel Boric and the authorities are mobilizing and receiving international aid, there are still 275 active fires, 69 of which are being fought by 5,600 firefighters and brigade members, both from the National Forestry Corporation (Conaf) and from forestry companies. .
Chile lives a summer with record temperatures. At points in the Andean foothills, temperatures above 40 ºC have been recorded.