Chile issues evacuations as wildfires rage in the country’s south, killing at least 1

Chilean authorities on Sunday issued two evacuation alerts for the southern region of La Araucanía as wildfires raged. At least one person has died.

The country’s government said the move aims to protect more than 860,000 people.

Chile’s government ordered the evacuation in regions of imminent risk, urging residents to leave their homes and seek refuge in safe areas. It did not provide figures on damage or number of people evacuated following a request from The Associated Press.

Authorities confirmed the death of an 84-year-old woman who had been evacuated but eventually returned home.

La Araucanía, south of capital Santiago, has faced a wave of forest fires that have spread rapidly due to high temperatures, strong winds and drought. Authorities issued a red alert in several parts of the region as firefighting teams fight against the flames.

Chile’s President Gabriel Boric, who ordered a curfew in affected regions on Saturday, said recently some fires are “deliberate” and urged an investigation. Police arrested five people this weekend in connection with the case.

Wildfires have recently devastated 33,406 hectares in Chile, 44% less than last year, authorities said. Much of those blazes are in La Araucanía.

Temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 Fahrenheit, this weekend boosted the wildfires in the region.

“These temperatures are not normal at all, they are above the normal ranges. Unfortunately, with climate change, they seem to be more and more frequent,” Andres Moncada, a meteorologist at Chile Meteorology Service, told Reuters.

Dozens of people were killed last year and over 1,000 homes were destroyed due to forest fires in the Valparaiso region. Those fires were also fueled by an intense heatwave and winds.