Santiago de Chile, Jumada I 08, 1438, February 05, 2017, SPA -- After more than two weeks of ferocious forest fires in Chile, the government on Saturday ended a state of emergency and said no significant new fires had broken out, dpa reported. President Michelle Bachelet said the South American country nevertheless must remain vigilant, reminding citizens that the forest fire season lasts until April. The fires killed 11 people and 1,610 houses were destroyed, the Ministry of the Interior said. The Chilean government will now begin reconstruction projects. Bachelet appointed Vice Minister Sergio Galilea as special representative for reconstruction to oversee the rebuilding effort. The forest fires cause about 333 million dollars worth of damage, the Treasury Department said. Since July 2016, more than 5,860 square kilometers of forest and agricultural land have been destroyed by fires, including more than 3,700 square kilometers scorched since the beginning of the year. -- SPA 02:55 LOCAL TIME 23:55 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w325593