Great Fire of Valparaíso

The police believes that it may have originated south of the Camino La Pólvora area, and southwest of Parque del Puerto cemetery.

[10] The wildfire started on the afternoon of 12 April at 16:40 local time (19:40 UTC) in the Camino La Pólvora area near the El Molle dump in the commune of Valparaíso.

[12] During the wildfire, there were at least six general power outages in the city, which occurred between 18:00 and 01:00 local time, making it more difficult to extinguish the fire.

[14] ONEMI reported that at least 850 hectares of vegetation (grassland, scrub and eucalyptus) were destroyed, and that twelve helicopters and three air tankers were struggling against the fire outbreaks that were still active in some hills.

In total, according to the state organization, around 3,500 people from the CONAF, firefighters, police (carabineros de Chile), the army, health services and the ONEMI itself are working to combat and control the wildfire.

The ONEMI has also sent trucks with mattresses, blankets, water, masks, tents and food rations for the victims of the wildfire, hosted in three schools and a Catholic church.

[17] The wildfire re-activated in areas of Cerro Ramaditas, Rocuant, and Cuesta Colorada on 13 April, between 20:45 and 21:15 local time; the outbreaks of fire left 100 additional destroyed houses.