President Gabriel Boric has said the devastating forest fire roaring through the country’s central area has claimed 4O lives so far.
The president also warned of a possibility that the death toll occasioned by the tragic fire, may increase.
Official reports said at least 1,100 houses had been destroyed.
The four large fires burn in the region of Valparaiso, where firefighters have battled to reach the most threatened neighborhoods.
The President urged Chileans to cooperate with rescue workers.
“If you are told to evacuate don’t hesitate to do it,” he said.
“The fires are advancing fast and climatic conditions have made them difficult to control. There are high temperatures, strong winds and low humiditiy.”
Earlier on Saturday, Interior Minister Carolina Tohá said that 92 forest fires were burning in the center and south of the country, where temperatures have been unusually high in the last few days.
The worst of the fires were in the Valparaíso region, where authorities urged thousands of people to evacuate their homes.
According to the interior minister, the fire also destroyed two bus terminals.
Three shelter homes have been set up in the Valparaíso region. At least 19 helicopters and more than 450 firefighters were dispatched into the area to battle the fires, Tohá said.
The El Niño weather pattern has caused droughts and hotter than usual temperatures along the west of South America this year, increasing the risk of forest fires.
Last year, the El Niño-induced heavy rains and flooding killed over 250 persons, left 900,000 displaced and wreaked havoc on infrastructure in the horn of Africa.
