A series of wildfires have scorched Chilean what’s being called one of the country’s worst natural disasters in years.
Dozens of fires have killed at least 24 people with nearly one thousand people injured so far. International help was set to arrive on Sunday from a handful of countries that have pledged resources, including planes and expert firefighting teams. The Chilean government has issued emergency declarations for the largely rural southern regions in an effort to speed up relief.
The fires have consumed some 270 thousand hectares, or 667 thousand acres which is roughly the size of the us state of Rhode Island. Nearly 15 hundred people have fled to area shelters. At least 26 of the 970 injured are listed in grave condition at local hospitals.