(CNN Radio Argentina) - The governor of Valparaíso, Gonzalo Le Dantec , said Thursday on CNN Radio that fires in Chile that affect at least 245 homes could have been “intentional”, although he clarified that Justice will determine .
“The forest fire is controlled. We were working on lowering the temperature and lowering the sources of fire. There are some points of forestry component left, ”added Le Dantec in a dialogue with Café con Pepe, the program conducted by Pepe Gil Vidal.
(Credit: ZAMORA / ATON CHILE / AFP via Getty Images)
In addition, the Chilean official said: " We are moving quickly to provide a response and a subsidy to help people who were affected."
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The president of Chile, Sebastián Piñera , lamented the fires on Christmas Eve and through his Twitter account said that government institutions "work tirelessly" to control the fires.
Due to the characteristics of the fire and the testimonies of some neighbors, authorities have determined that the fires were caused intentionally.
SEE MORE: Investigate if fires in Valparaíso, Chile, were intentional
For his part, Chilean Housing Minister Cristián Monckeberg said in a press conference on Wednesday afternoon that the number of houses affected had risen to 200.
“Fortunately we had no victims , but some issues caused by smoke. We are coordinating so that people have potable water, shelters and health personnel in the field to respond to any eventuality, ”the governor of Valparaíso added on CNN Radio.
And he acknowledged: "We are very worried." "The certainty (about the origin of the fire) we will have legally once the public ministry manages to find who did this."
"I have almost no doubt that this was intentional," he added, although he concluded: "It is necessary to see what happens with the judicial investigation" of Chile.