The Chilean government has announced an important breakthrough in the investigation of devastating forest fires that have claimed at least 20 lives south of the capital Santiago. Police in the city of Perquenco arrested a man who allegedly started a fire in a wheat field with a flammable liquid.
Chilean police have arrested a man suspected of starting one of the forest fires that have claimed at least 20 lives so far. It was announced by the local government on Wednesday, writes TASR based on a report by the AFP agency.
- Chilean police arrested a man suspected of starting a forest fire.
- The fires claimed at least 20 lives and destroyed a thousand houses.
- Several fires started in the regions south of the metropolis of Santiago.
- Firefighters are still battling dozens of active fires in the three regions.
- Chile is repeatedly hit by devastating forest fires during the summer.
Public Security Minister Luis Cordero says the suspect used a flammable liquid to start a fire in a wheat field. During a raid in the city of Perquenco in the Araucanía region, the police seized approximately five liters of unspecified combustibles from him.
Spreading fires
Several forest fires started to spread on Saturday in the regions of Biobío, Úuble and Araucanía, several hundred kilometers south of the metropolis of Santiago. Strong winds and high temperatures caused the flames to quickly reach the coastal towns of Penco, Lirquén and Punta de Parra.
Approximately one thousand houses were burned and about 7,500 people found themselves without shelter. Other fires were later reported in the interior of the country, especially around the city of Florida in the Biobío region, about 40 kilometers east of the city of Concepción.
Still active outbreaks
Cordero said police found substances used to start fires in Concepción, including plastic canisters of combustibles. Firefighters continued to fight 35 fires on Wednesday – 22 in the Biobío region, five in Nuble and eight in Araucanía.
Chile is repeatedly affected by large-scale forest fires during the summer months in the southern hemisphere. Last year, more than 100 people lost their lives and approximately 15,000 houses were destroyed or damaged, DPA adds.
