Wildfire in Chilean port city of Valparaiso leaves 700 homeless

The remains of a house after it was destroyed by fire, following the spread of wildfires in Valparaiso, December 26, 2019. /Reuters Photo

More than 245 homes have been destroyed and 700 people left destitute after a forest fire tore through a poor neighborhood of the coastal Chilean city of Valparaiso on Christmas Eve.

President Sebastian Pinera said on Thursday during a tour of the affected zone that there was evidence the fire had been started deliberately.

"I deeply regret that what should have been a good night, a night of peace, should have been so profoundly altered by this tragedy," he said.

The fire broke out in a forested area on the outskirts of the city and spread toward the coast, hitting the Rocuant and San Roque hills, a jumble of settlements that overlook the city.

Residents spray water over remains of their homes after a wildfire damaged dozens of houses on the outskirts of Valparaiso, December 25, 2019. /AP Photo

Inhabitants fled their homes just moments before sitting down to their Christmas Eve dinner, some losing all their belongings and even pets.

Marta Pinto, 78, said her granddaughter spotted the fire coming down the hill and raised the alarm.

"They took me to the house of a niece because I suffer from lung disease," said Pinto, adding that "my husband arrived and said: 'Love, we have lost everything.' I've cried all my tears already. My heart is so sore for everything that has happened to us, to our neighbors, in this tremendous tragedy."

The fire was only fully brought under control at midday on Thursday with the help of nine firefighting teams, five helicopters and two water trucks, according to the forestry commission in Chile.

A total of 132 hectares of vegetation were said to be destroyed.

A house burns following the spread of wildfires in Valparaiso, December 24, 2019. /Reuters Photo

Agriculture Minister Antonio Walker said the high temperatures at the height of the Southern Hemisphere summer, which runs from December to March, and dry conditions caused by a historic drought currently blighting Chile had provided fertile ground for the fire.

Valparaiso's mayor Jorge Sharp said on Wednesday he had filed a criminal complaint with the courts against those who started the fire, once they are identified.

"That this fire was intentionally started is, from various indications, clear and we want to know who is responsible and why they would want to cause so much damage to Valparaiso," he said.

Valparaiso, known for its colorful wood-frame houses, is popular among tourists in the South American country.

Wildfires have been raging in many parts of the world this year, including Brazil and Australia.

(With input from Reuters)