Raging wildfires turn skies red in Chile, video goes viral

In a horrifying scene, the skies turned red over Chile during the weekend as wildfires tore through the country, reminding the scenes of a similar fire in Australia in 2019-20.

The wildfires, which are believed to have been deliberately started, have led to widespread panic and residents were forced to leave their homes in order to find safe shelter.

The Valparaiso region was engulfed with flames for at least 10 hours.

A clip, which has now been widely shared on social media, shows a city in Chile in a red-orange hue.

On Friday, officials ordered the evacuation of some 25,000 residents, and hundreds of firefighters were deployed to help battle the fires. People have been told not to return to their homes until they are told the area is safe.

Emergency authorities said the fires have blazed through some 400 hectares of forest, with firefighters concentrating their efforts on four focal points.

A local government official said authorities believe the wildfires were started deliberately.

A Chinook helicopter carrying tonnes of water has been deployed in an attempt to extinguish the fire from above.

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The buildings that have been destroyed so far include four houses and six cabins at a recreational center. Two warehouses have also been affected.

It is pertinent to mention here that the area has been devastated by wildfires in the past. In January 2017, the worst wildfires in living memory burnt through the whole of Chile and killed at least 11 people, five of whom were firefighters.

In 2019, 200 homes in the port city of Valparaiso were destroyed by wildfires on Christmas Day.