 "Representational Image- Reuters")
Chile’s President Gabriel Boric declared a state of emergency on Saturday in the central and southern regions of Nuble and Maule due to the threat of wildfires. He said that the measures intended to protect forests, fields, homes and lives, would include curfews to help authorities address potential criminal activity.
Addressing the media at the presidential palace, Boric said there were “reasons to believe” that many of the fires currently affecting the Araucanía region, south of Santiago, were intentionally set.
“We are not going to tolerate the vile behaviour of a person or organization that carries out these types of acts,” said Boric.
Local authorities say there are about 15 active fire outbreaks in Chile currently, which have been aggravated by weather temperatures above 40 Celsius degrees (104 Fahrenheit).
More than 60 arrests have been made recently in connection with forest fires in the Araucanía area, according to local authorities.
Dozens of people were killed last year and over 1,000 homes were destroyed due to forest fires in the Valparaiso region.