https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/152411/fires-rage-in-central-chile
https://apnews.com/article/chile-forest-fires-drought-casualties-4f85c0671d70cfcb0a677d410a0b3961
In early February of this year, fires broke out in central Chile, specifically the Valparaiso region, and the wildfires destroyed thousands of homes in the coastal area of Vina del Mar. This image of smoke pouring into the air was taken on February 3 by NASA’s Aqua satellite using the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) instrument. According to Chile’s National Disaster Prevention and Response Service, the fires burned roughly 6,000 properties, including entire neighborhoods in Viña del Mar, and about 8,500 hectares (30 square miles) of land. Chile has been through a severe heat wave, with temperatures in wildfire regions reaching 99 degrees Fahrenheit and locals moving toward the coast to escape the heat. Other parts of South America were also affected by the summer scorching. In January, temperatures near Bogotá, Colombia, reached record highs, stoking numerous wildfires in the city’s hills. Jerusalem’s temperature set a new record on January 23 when it reached 40.4°C (104.7°F). In Honda, the temperature rose to 44°C (111°F) one day later.
Officials have extended curfew in cities with the most detrimental damage and said that at least 112 people have died due to these extreme fires so far. The town of Quilpé, which was also severely damaged by the fires, was visited by Chilean President Gabriel Boric on Sunday morning, and he announced that 64 people had passed away there. The Forensic Medicine Service in Chile amended the verified death toll to 112 persons late on Sunday but mentioned that the death toll could go up considering the current conditions. On Sunday, Governor Rodrigo Mundaca of the Valparaiso region, which includes Viña del Mar and other impacted communities, expressed that he thought some of the fires might have been started on purpose. This statement echoes a view that Boric had previously brought up. However, these fires began in the mountainous region, places that are hard to reach, and spread into the densely populated areas.
Boric also mentioned that the presidential vacation home on the edge of Vina del Mar will be temporarily transformed into a leisure center for children and families affected by the fires. Following the big wave of destructive fires, the president called for two days of national mourning. To allow fire engines and ambulances to more easily reach individuals further away from the fires, authorities encouraged residents in the impacted districts to leave their houses as soon as possible. The country’s Meteorological Directorate ascribed Chile’s recent high summer heat to two factors: El Niño, a short-lived natural climate phenomenon that reappeared in 2023, and climate change, which is the long-term rise in world temperatures.