Chile Wildfires Kill 18, Torch Thousands Ff Homes As State of Catastrophe Declared
Deadly wildfires sweeping across central and southern Chile have claimed at least 18 lives, destroyed hundreds of homes and forced tens of thousands of residents to flee, as extreme heat and strong winds fuel one of the country’s most severe fire emergencies in recent years.
Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe in the Biobío region and the neighboring Ñuble region, roughly 500 kilometres south of the capital Santiago, enabling enhanced coordination with the military to battle the rapidly spreading fires.
Authorities said more than two dozen active wildfires have already burned through around 8,500 hectares (21,000 acres) of forest. According to the national forestry agency, the emergency designation is aimed at speeding up deployment of resources as firefighters struggle against soaring temperatures and gusty winds.
Speaking from the regional hub of Concepción, Boric warned that the toll was likely to rise as damage assessments continue. While initial figures indicate at least 300 homes destroyed, the president said the number of affected houses in the Biobío region alone was “certainly more than a thousand.” Nearly 50,000 people have already been evacuated from threatened areas.
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Boric acknowledged the scale of the human tragedy, stressing that emergency response efforts must balance firefighting with support for displaced families. His remarks came amid criticism from local leaders over delays in assistance as fires tore through residential areas overnight.
Rodrigo Vera, mayor of the coastal town of *Penco, said entire neighbourhoods were burning for hours with little visible state presence. Firefighters faced extreme conditions, with temperatures exceeding 38 degrees Celsius and weather forecasts pointing to continued heat into Monday, Interior Minister *Álvaro Elizalde said.
Residents described being caught off guard as flames advanced after midnight. Many delayed evacuating, believing the fire would stop at the forest edge. Instead, the blaze swept through large parts of Penco, destroying cars, a school and a church, while thick smoke turned the sky an orange haze.
Thousands sought refuge in makeshift emergency shelters as the government imposed a nighttime curfew across affected areas. Authorities reported finding charred bodies in homes, vehicles, along roads and in open fields, underscoring the ferocity and speed of the fires.
Wildfires are a recurring threat in central and southern Chile during the summer months, typically peaking in February amid extreme heat and prolonged drought. In 2024, fires along Chile’s central coastline killed at least 130 people, marking the country’s deadliest natural disaster since the 2010 earthquake.
The crisis has also spilled across borders, with neighboring Argentina battling large wildfires in recent weeks as hot, dry conditions grip parts of Patagonia, highlighting a wider regional challenge as South America faces increasingly severe summer fire seasons.