Firefighters in Chile battle the blaze to bring one of the worst natural disasters to hit the country in years under control, as the death toll from wildfires has reached 24 and at least 1,000 have been injured.

Chile is expected to receive aid from the United States, Spain and Latin America today.

The government of President Gabriel Boric has declared a state of emergency in the southern provinces of Bio Bio, Niuble and Araucania.

About 2,700,000 acres were reduced to ash from the fires. A heatwave sweeping the southern hemisphere is making it difficult to put out fires as temperatures exceed 40 degrees Celsius in some areas. A total of 260 fires remain active, of which 28 are considered severe.

Nearly 1,500 people fled their homes to escape the fire. Of the injured, at least 26 were hospitalized in serious condition.

Authorities announced on Saturday that aid is expected soon from countries such as the US, Argentina, Ecuador, Brazil and Venezuela. A group of experts from Spain was sent to Chile today.

Source: APE-MPE, Reuters.