More than 220 homes have been destroyed by a weekend forest fire in Chile which is affecting the upper portion of the city of Valparaiso, although authorities say the fire appears to be under control for the moment.
After a meeting of the Emergency Operations Council (COE), regional Governor Gabriel Aldoney said that 143 of the more than 400 people evacuated because of the fire are being housed at the Playa Ancha Sports Complex, including 20 children.
The fire broke out on Sunday but Aldoney says they're not much concerned because the chance that it will become a problem is relatively low.
However, he says in the coming hours the fire could change its direction of movement toward the south, after forecasters predicted winds from the north of up to 60km/h.
The fire has injured 19 people, most of them firefighters experiencing respiratory problems, minor cuts and bruises received battling the flames.
President Michelle Bachelet, who travelled to the zone on Tuesday, told reporters that the government "has been bringing resources to bear in the emergency".
Authorities are maintaining the red alert in Valparaiso, which in April 2014 experienced a fire that killed 15 people, injured more than 500, destroyed more than 2900 homes and damaged 12,500.
Meanwhile, in the community of Santo Domingo, in the far southern part of the Valparaiso region, another forest fire has consumed 1200 hectares, destroying at least one home and is still active.
