Chile forest fires claim 51 lives, state of emergency declared

At least 51 people have died in wildfires raging throughout Chile, according to officials on Saturday. As the flames continued to spread, many homes were destroyed, forcing people to evacuate, BBC reported.

A state of emergency has been proclaimed in the central and southern regions of the country "due to catastrophe" as the problem has been made worse by dry weather and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius.

President Gabriel Boric said following his helicopter surveillance of the devastated area on Saturday afternoon that, "There are 45 people killed in the fire and another six who died as a result of burns."

"We know that these numbers will increase," he added.

Interior Minister Carolina Toha reported earlier on Saturday that as of midday, there were 92 fires nationwide, resulting in the burning of 43,000 hectares. By afternoon, firefighters were still fighting 29 of the fires, while 40 had been contained.

In the hillsides around the coastal city of Vina del Mar, entire blocks of houses were burned out overnight. Some of the deceased were observed lying on the road under sheets, The Daily Star reported.

Nearly thirty homes were destroyed by the flames in the towns of Estrella and Navidad, southwest of the city.

The fires are being driven by a summer heatwave and drought affecting the southern part of South America caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon. Scientists warn that extreme heat and fires are becoming more common as the earth warms.

As Chile and Colombia battle rising temperatures, the heatwave is also threatening to sweep over Paraguay and Brazil.

Since January 25, firefighters from many provinces in Argentina have been battling a fire that has destroyed over 3,000 hectares of the renowned Los Alerces National Park, which is known for its natural beauty and rich biodiversity.