Chile’s president has visited one of the areas hit by the country’s worst forest fires in 50 years.
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Chile’s president has visited one of the areas hit by the country’s worst forest fires in 50 years. The government declared a state of emergency last week as a dozen wildfires scorched nearly 50,000 hectares.
Michelle Bachelet met with some of the victims and firefighters battling the flames which have been fuelled by strong winds and a heat wave.
Chile's president Michelle Bachelet orders more funds to tackle what she calls the country's worst forest fires ever https://t.co/vPot7Ohk8q pic.twitter.com/q7rkKKGiSi
— AFP news agency (@AFP) January 24, 2017
“We must a show a generosity of spirit in dealing with this emergency,” President Michelle Bachelet said on Twitter.
Frente a los devastadores incendios forestales, sólo cabe la unidad de Chile. Está emergencia debemos enfrentarla con espíritu generoso.
— Michelle Bachelet (@mbachelet) January 24, 2017
The head of Chile’s CONAF forestry service, has said the fires were caused by humans, but that it was unclear if they were set intentionally.
The largest is some 140 kilometres south of the capital Santiago near to some of Chile’s main vineyards.