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| After Fire, Picturesque Hills of Chilean Port City Are Left in Ruin | After Fire, Picturesque Hills of Chilean Port City Are Left in Ruin |
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| SANTIAGO, Chile — Two days after wind-borne flames ravaged the steep hills surrounding Valparaíso, many slopes of colorful houses that gave the slender port city a picture-postcard landscape have been reduced to rings of ruins. | SANTIAGO, Chile — Two days after wind-borne flames ravaged the steep hills surrounding Valparaíso, many slopes of colorful houses that gave the slender port city a picture-postcard landscape have been reduced to rings of ruins. |
| Firefighters, some brought in from other parts of the country, were still combating outbreaks of fire on Monday, supported by 21 aircraft. “This is the largest air operation to combat fire in the country’s history,” President Michelle Bachelet said Monday morning after a cabinet meeting in Santiago, the capital. | Firefighters, some brought in from other parts of the country, were still combating outbreaks of fire on Monday, supported by 21 aircraft. “This is the largest air operation to combat fire in the country’s history,” President Michelle Bachelet said Monday morning after a cabinet meeting in Santiago, the capital. |
| At least 15 people died as a result of the fire over the weekend, according to Chilean authorities. One of them, Edgardo Herrera, 53, suffered a heart attack on Sunday evening after seeing the ruins of his relatives’ home. At least 2,500 homes were burned to the ground, leaving about 11,000 people homeless, government officials said. Over a thousand people were staying in shelters on Monday. | |
| Hundreds of volunteers, including neighbors whose homes were spared, have flocked to the scorched hilltops to help families remove debris and salvage what they can, or have brought them food, water and clothing. Shelters also have been established for the many stray animals. | Hundreds of volunteers, including neighbors whose homes were spared, have flocked to the scorched hilltops to help families remove debris and salvage what they can, or have brought them food, water and clothing. Shelters also have been established for the many stray animals. |
| With the city now under military control, 3,000 police officers and soldiers patrolled the streets. Five people remained hospitalized with burns, and more than 300 have received emergency medical treatment, according to the director of the Valparaíso-San Antonio Health Service, Dr. Ramón García. | With the city now under military control, 3,000 police officers and soldiers patrolled the streets. Five people remained hospitalized with burns, and more than 300 have received emergency medical treatment, according to the director of the Valparaíso-San Antonio Health Service, Dr. Ramón García. |
| Throughout the country and even abroad, volunteer agencies, local governments, social and political organizations, individuals, and schools mounted campaigns for food, clothing and other essential goods, and opened bank accounts for donations. | Throughout the country and even abroad, volunteer agencies, local governments, social and political organizations, individuals, and schools mounted campaigns for food, clothing and other essential goods, and opened bank accounts for donations. |
| The cause of the fire was still unknown. But critics say that lack of urban planning and government neglect of the impoverished communities on the hilltops contributed to the disaster just as much as the wind and heat. | The cause of the fire was still unknown. But critics say that lack of urban planning and government neglect of the impoverished communities on the hilltops contributed to the disaster just as much as the wind and heat. |
| For decades, Valparaíso has expanded with no regulation or urban planning, leading to improvised, chaotic collections of wooden houses along high roads and gorges, which are often used as informal waste dumps. Many fire hydrants did not work on Saturday when the fire first broke out, and emergency vehicles were not able to reach some neighborhoods because of the curved, narrow roads, or because there were no roads at all. | For decades, Valparaíso has expanded with no regulation or urban planning, leading to improvised, chaotic collections of wooden houses along high roads and gorges, which are often used as informal waste dumps. Many fire hydrants did not work on Saturday when the fire first broke out, and emergency vehicles were not able to reach some neighborhoods because of the curved, narrow roads, or because there were no roads at all. |
| “These hills have been spontaneously occupied by families without meeting any basic urban requirements. It’s not their fault,” said Ximena Bórquez, a director of the Association of Architects and a specialist in urban planning. “Houses should never have been built in some of these areas. We have always known that, but no government agency ever prevented that from happening.” | “These hills have been spontaneously occupied by families without meeting any basic urban requirements. It’s not their fault,” said Ximena Bórquez, a director of the Association of Architects and a specialist in urban planning. “Houses should never have been built in some of these areas. We have always known that, but no government agency ever prevented that from happening.” |