"554 people were injured, 16 of them are in serious condition... 22 people have died," Toha told journalists on Saturday, as broadcast by Chile’s disaster management authority on social media. The death toll was later raised to 23.
The Chilean government extended an emergency order to another region on Saturday, adding Araucania to Biobio and Nuble to the list of regions under an emergency order, Sputnik reported.
On Friday, Chile’s disaster agency Senapred announced that at least 13 people had died amid forest fires razing through several regions, including Biobio, Nuble and La Araucania.
According to Toha, 76 new fires were ignited on Friday, with an additional 16 starting on Saturday. Chile, which is in the midst of its summer, reached 104°F (40°C) on Saturday.
There are currently 251 wildfires raging in Chile.
MNA/PR