Chile: Smoke covers the landscape as wildfires prompt evacuation orders and red alerts

The city experienced approximately 75,000 lightning strikes in three hours.

Residents in areas of Chile's Araucania region were urged to flee as flames burned on Sunday, February 18.

Senapred, Chile's emergency response agency, has issued red alerts for seven villages in the Araucania region and yellow alerts for two more in response to the fires.

The Carabineros Region de La Araucania uploaded footage of authorities at the area, which was surrounded by smoke.

The deadly wildfires raging across broad portions of Chile are thought to be the country worst on record, according to the United Nations disaster organisation, as firefighters are battling to put out more than 160 blazes that have burned for days.

According to Chilean authorities, the fires killed at least 123 people and left hundreds missing. Officials also stated that 33 remains had been identified, and 79 autopsies had been performed.

The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction reported that hundreds more people are still missing, and the death toll is expected to grow.

According to a January study published in the journal Nature, wildfire activity in Chile has increased dramatically in recent years, with high temperatures, drought and strong winds creating ideal conditions for intense and devastating fires.

According to the report, 1.7 million hectares of land have burned throughout the country over the past decade.

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