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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Guardian staff and agencies in Santiago

Chile widens state of emergency as raging wildfires leave at least 13 dead

A firefighter works as a wildfire burns parts of rural areas in Quillón, Chile, on Thursday.
A firefighter works as a wildfire burns parts of rural areas in Quillón, Chile, on Thursday. Photograph: Juan González/Reuters

Chile’s government has declared a widened state of emergency amid wildfires that have killed at least 13 people and consumed about 14,000 hectares (35,000 acres), as the South American country endures a summer heatwave across southern and central swaths of the country.

The interior minister, Carolina Toha, said on Friday morning the government had declared a catastrophe in the region of Biobío, joining its neighbouring region Ñuble, which President Gabriel Boric announced on Thursday evening, allowing the deployment of soldiers and additional resources.

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