:format(webp)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/grupoclarin/SD6YUXUNTFDP7JPCRRHAXJVE5I.jpg "Deadly fires leave scenes of devastation in central Chile")
Forest fires devastated central Chile, leaving more than 100 dead, dozens missing and thousands of homes destroyed.
The fires broke out on Friday in the mountainous eastern end of Viña del Mar, a beachfront resort known for organizing a festival that brings together the best of Latin music.
Authorities have suggested that some of the fires near the city could have been set. But the country’s president, Gabriel Boric, indicated that dry weather, strong winds and low humidity contributed to the rapid spread of the flames.
The fires occurred in the middle of a heat wave that caused thermometers in the capital, Santiago de Chile, to exceed 37 degrees Celsius (around 100 degrees Fahrenheit). The extreme heat evaporates moisture from the wood, making it the ideal fuel.
In the center of the country, volunteers worked for days to remove charred metal, broken glass and other debris from neighborhoods devastated by the tragedy.
Residents returned to their homes on Monday to search through what was left of them. Many said they preferred to sleep near their properties to prevent looters from taking their few remaining possessions or claiming the land on which their homes stood.
According to the authorities, who have been criticized for failures in the evacuation warning system, the fires are contained but not fully controlled.