Over 50 wildfires are still being fought in Chile

A total of 53 forest fires remain active today in central-southern Chile, where the flames have devoured 434,000 hectares, according to the latest balance of the National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response (Senapred). According to Senapred, another 143 outbreaks have been controlled and 13 have been extinguished.

More than 800 firefighters from many countries are working together with thousands of their Chilean colleagues in the fight against the fires, which are mainly affecting the regions of La Araucania, Ñuble and Biobio.

President Gabriel Boric will travel again today to Biobio to supervise the firefighting work and visit the emergency housing provided to the victims.

The fires have so far caused 25 deaths and more than 1,000 injuries, and destroyed 1,504 homes, as well as schools, health centers, telecommunications stations, among other infrastructure.

To this must be added the damage to fauna and flora and the loss of endemic species.

Thousands of animals were burned to death, mainly meat and egg-producing poultry, sheep, goats and cattle.

According to the president of the National Federation of Fruit Producers, Jorge Valenzuela, it will take six to 10 years for productive soils to recover in some areas.

The Inter-American Development Bank and the Development Bank of Latin America will donate a total of US$450,000 to contribute to emergency management and subsequent reconstruction, according to the Ministry of Finance.