CHILLAN: Forest fires across south-central Chile that have left 24 people dead and swallowed up hundreds of houses spread into new areas on Wednesday after raging overnight, burning up the habitats of vulnerable woodland animals.
"We call on everyone who can to take care of the forests which are currently on fire, and also of our animals, specimens of vital importance," said Valentina Aravena, the manager at a wildlife rehabilitation center in Chillan.
Chile's national forests association CONAF said on Wednesday the area affected by the fires had now spread to over 300,000 hectares (741,315 acres), an area nearly twice the size of Greater London.
Authorities said some 2,180 people have been injured and 1,180 houses have been destroyed, with most of the deaths and damages in the south-central Biobio, Araucania and Ñuble regions.
Late on Wednesday, Interior Minister Carolina Toha said the government would declare a curfew in some provinces starting on Thursday. She had earlier warned of a shortage of water tanks and urged providers to make them available.
In the rehabilitation center in Chillan, the capital of the Ñuble region, veterinarians treated burns on animals native to the woodlands, such as monito del monte, a small nocturnal marsupial, and pudus, the world's smallest deer.
Aravena said these were essential species that helped spread seeds.
"We try to stabilize them, treat them, relieve pain from the burns they suffered, and ideally rehabilitate them so they can return to the wild," she said.
In the vicinity of the nearby city of Quillon, local Enrique Narvaez watched firefighters at work overnight.
"The 2011 wildfire burnt down my house, all the trees, everything," he said. "I don't want to go through the same again now."
Chilean President Gabriel Boric thanked his Brazilian counterpart who offered $672,000 in aid and said he was sending air force jet with firefighting equipment, personnel and experts. Spain, Colombia and Mexico are also giving assistance.
Chilean pulp and wood panel manufacturer Arauco, the forestry arm of Empresas Copec, said 40,000 hectares (98,842 acres) of its plantations could be potentially affected, though the possible extent remained unclear.
A day earlier, a Chilean minister warned that high temperatures forecast for this week could further complicate the situation.
Reuters
Thu Feb 09 2023
An area cultivated with pine and eucalyptus burns during a wildfire, in Tome area, Chile, February 8, 2023. - REUTERS
PM adakan pertemuan dengan Presiden Rwanda
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mengadakan pertemuan dua hala dengan Presiden Rwanda Paul Kagame di luar Mesyuarat Khas Forum Ekonomi Sedunia (WEF) pada Ahad.
Iraq luluskan RUU anti-LGBTQ
PARLIMEN Iraq pada Sabtu meluluskan rang undang-undang (RUU) yang menjenayahkan hubungan sejenis.
Rumah terbuka Persatuan Komuniti Bugis Sabah meriah
Keunikan pakaian suku kaum Bugis dan kepelbagaian juadah menjadi tarikan utama rumah terbuka Persatuan Kaum Bugis Sabah.
Perayaan masa terbaik pupuk persaudaraan - Hajiji
Datul Seri Hajiji Noor menyifatkan perayaan yang ada di negara ini sebagai medan terbaik memupuk tali persaudaraan dalam kalangan rakyat pelbagai kaum dan agama.
Konsert jelajah terakhir Kitaro bakal tarik ramai pengunjung
Konsert jelajah Kitaro di Rainforest World Music Festival 2024 bakal jadi yang terakhir buat Kitaro yang memasuki usia 71 tahun, Februari lalu.
Abang Jo setuju cadangan syarat untuk pemohon PR di Sarawak
Dalam perkembangan lain Abang Johari bersetuju dengan cadangan untuk menetapkan syarat bagi komuniti peniaga dan pelabur yang mahu mendapatkan status Penduduk Tetap (PR) di Sarawak perlu memasukkan minimum dua juta ringgit ke dalam akaun deposit tetap negeri ataupun membeli hartanah bernilai 1.5 juta ke atas.
Kes denggi di Kedah membimbangkan, catat 1,550 kes pada ME16
Kes denggi di Kedah berada pada tahap membimbangkan apabila sejumlah 1,550 kes dilaporkan pada Minggu Epidemiologi ke-16 tahun ini.
Kerajaan Sarawak tidak paksa penduduk pedalaman terima projek empangan Melata
Abang Johari berharap penduduk pedalaman Sarawak agar membuka minda dengan melihat kepada manfaat projek empangan melata yang penting bagi menghasilkan tenaga boleh diperbaharui di kawasan merfeka.
Sarawak akan jana tenaga hijau seratus peratus hijau
Premier Sarawak Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg akan berbincang dengan SEB bagi membolehkan dua loji tenaga arang batu miliknya ditukar kepada loji bersumberkan biomass.
RM9 bilion KPS ganti paip lama seluruh negara
Kos diperlukan bagi menggantikan paip-paip lama seluruh negara mencecah sembilan bilion ringgit.
Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof yang juga Menteri Peralihan Tenaga Dan Transformasi Air (PETRA) berkata, kebocoran paip jadi penyumbang besar kepada Air Tidak Terhasil (NRW) iaitu 40 peratus daripada penghasilan air bersih.
Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof yang juga Menteri Peralihan Tenaga Dan Transformasi Air (PETRA) berkata, kebocoran paip jadi penyumbang besar kepada Air Tidak Terhasil (NRW) iaitu 40 peratus daripada penghasilan air bersih.