Valparaiso Hit Again by Tragic Wildland Fire

A furious blaze (with more than 160 active fires) has swept through the central region of Chile, claiming the lives of at least 112 individuals and obliterating over 1,100 residences. The fire, which ignited on Friday, has rapidly spread throughout the densely populated Valparaiso area, prompting the evacuation of thousands.

The inferno poses a threat to the cultural heritage of Valparaiso, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its houses and historic structures. It is not yet clear whether the fires damaged, directly or indirectly, the buildings and the area forming part of the UNESCO site. Back in 2007, UNESCO extended its support in the aftermath of a devastating fire that ravaged a portion of Valparaiso’s historic city center on February 3, resulting in casualties and in the 2014 events that hit the same area