22 Dec 2017 | 10:32 AM UTC
Chile: Red wildfire alerts for Malloa and Chépica Dec. 22 /update 1
Red alerts in place December 22 due to wildfires in Malloa and Chépica; adhere to all instructions issued by local authorities
Event
As of Friday, December 22, red alerts issued by the National Emergency Office (ONEMI) - the highest level - remain in place in the communes of Malloa and Chépica due to ongoing wildfires. Both communes are located in the O'Higgins region.
As of early Friday, the San Luis de Pelequén fire in Malloa had burned 240 hectares (600 acres) of land, while the La Candelaria fire in Chépica (a.k.a. the La Pérez fire) had burned 50 hectares (125 acres).
Context
Forest fires are relatively common in Chile during the summer months. The country was devastated by a string of major forest fires in January 2017, which resulted in the deaths of 11 people, as well as the destruction of around 1500 houses and over 580,000 hectares (1.4 million acres).
Advice
Individuals in the area are advised to keep abreast of the situation and adhere to any instructions issued by the local authorities.
