"A major forest fire in the Larmahue area of Pichidegua, in Chile’s O’Higgins Region, has burned an estimated 200 hectares of vegetation and destroyed two homes, authorities said on Thursday. Around 400 people were ordered to evacuate, particularly from the nearby Poblacion 1 de Mayo neighbourhood. Residents were urged to leave calmly with emergency kits and to take care of pets and vulnerable family members. “Seeing the house completely destroyed, with all the belongings burned, I think that's a huge shock,” said local resident Aliro Gonzalez. According to an official investigation by the Provincial Cachapoal Fire Investigation Unit, the blaze was accidentally ignited on Thursday by three children aged 11 and 12 who were visiting a relative’s home and playing with a lighter on a dry hillside behind the house. Police said one of the children sustained a burn to his hand and dropped a burning branch into dry vegetation. Fanned by arid conditions, the flames quickly spread and developed into a large forest fire. Local authorities said the case was referred to the public prosecutor’s office, which interviewed the children’s parents and confirmed the minors are legally non-imputable under Chilean law due to their age and limited capacity to understand the consequences of their actions."