Black smoke billowed into the sky over a large portion of the Valparaiso region, home to over a million people in central Chile, as firemen used vehicles and helicopters to combat the flames.

As rescue personnel fought to put out flames threatening urban areas, at least 51 people have died as a result of forest fires raging in central Chile, and the death toll is expected to rise, according to authorities on Saturday.

According to Chilean officials, rescue workers were having trouble getting to every impacted location, particularly in the area around the well-known seaside city of Vina del Mar.

Five bodies were discovered on public roadways, increasing the death toll. Interior Minister Carolina Toha stated that "we are going to reach much higher figures" in the following hours based on information.

"Valparaiso is in the most delicate condition," Toha declared, adding that the nation was experiencing its worst calamity since an earthquake in 2010 that claimed roughly 500 lives.

In a nationally televised speech, President Gabriel Boric stated, "The situation is really very difficult."

In Chile, wildfires occur frequently in the summer. Following a record heat wave last year, about 400,000 hectares (990,000 acres) were affected, and about 27 individuals lost their lives.

"The area with fires today is much smaller than last year, (but) at this time the number of hectares affected is multiplying very rapidly," Toha stated.

The wildfire-affected area grew from 30,000 hectares (110,000 acres) to 43,000 hectares (110,000 acres) between Friday and Saturday.

Toha stated that the main worry for the authorities was that some of the ongoing flames were growing extremely close to cities, "with the very high potential to affect people, homes and facilities."