More than 1,000 homes have been destroyed by widespread fires in Chile since Feb. 2 due to a heatwave and strong winds.
President Gabriel Boric of Chile declared a state of emergency in the regions of Biobío and Ñuble Feb. 3, according to Earth Observatory. The smoke from the fires is visible from Santa Juana to the Pacific Ocean.
“I extend my deep condolences to the Chilean people as they confront devastating wildfires. The United States and Chile have a long history of collaboration to prevent and combat wildfires. We stand with Chile and will be providing additional aid in the coming days and weeks," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a post on Twitter.
The Biobío and Araucanía regions have been the hardest hit. This year’s fires have already burned seven times more than the five-year average, with 294,000 hectares affected as of Feb. 7, Earth Observatory reported.
The worst fire on record was in 2017, with 570,000 hectares burned, according to Earth Observatory. The fires are being fueled by high air temperatures and easterly winds known as "Puelche winds" from Argentina.
Fires in Chile have resulted in the death of at least 23 people and many more injured or displaced, Al Jazeera reported. The number of people seeking refuge in shelters is not specified.
Chile is experiencing a 13-year megadrought, the longest in at least 1,000 years, which has led to low water levels in reservoirs and increased water tensions, Earth Observatory reported.
