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The authorities in Chile say wildfires raging in the centre of the country have now killed at least 112 people.

An interior ministry official said there were still 40 active fires across Chile.

Earlier, President Gabriel Boric warned that the number of people confirmed dead was likely to rise significantly.

Emergency teams have been struggling to control the fires, which have spread rapidly across the Valpara铆so region. The government is investigating whether some blazes were started deliberately.

John Bartlett is a journalist who is in Valpara铆so. He told Newsday: 鈥淧eople say that they鈥檝e been finding charred remains of people that they knew in the community.鈥�

He said local officials believe 鈥渢his was a blaze that was caused intentionally鈥� after 鈥渢wo people had been seen trying to start another fire鈥�.

He added that 鈥渕ost of the fires are now under control鈥� and while refuges had been set up, 鈥減eople are quite reluctant鈥�to leave the remains of their homes. People are saying the (refuge centres) are too far away for them to get to, so they鈥檇 rather take their chances in an area they actually know.鈥�

(Picture: Shows an aerial view of burned homes and vehicles after a forest fire in Quilpue, Vi帽a del Mar, Chile, taken on February 4, 2024. Credit: Rodrigo Arangua / AFP via Getty Images.)

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