Wildfires rip through central and southern Chile, at least 18 dead
Wildfires fueled by extreme heat and wind have killed at least 18 people and forced tens of thousands to flee; officials warn losses and the death toll are likely to rise.
Wildfires are ripping across central and southern Chile, leaving at least 18 people dead and prompting the evacuation of tens of thousands as strong winds and a heat wave overwhelm firefighting efforts. President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe for the hardest-hit Biobío and Ñuble regions and pledged that the government has made "all resources available" to emergency teams.
Security Minister Luis Cordero said roughly 50,000 people had been evacuated from affected communities, while local officials and residents described chaotic, last-minute escapes. In Penco, one resident said he and his family "fled running, with the kids, in the dark." Emergency crews and neighbors found charred bodies in fields, inside homes, along roads and in cars as search and rescue teams worked to complete door-to-door checks.
Authorities reported roughly two dozen active wildfires across central and southern regions, concentrated about 300 miles, or roughly 500 kilometers, south of the capital Santiago. Official estimates of the area burned vary significantly. The national forestry agency put the total at about 8,500 hectares, approximately 21,000 acres, while alternate assessments from regional authorities exceed 20,000 hectares. Fire officials cautioned that acreage and damage tallies are provisional and likely to be revised as assessments continue.
Municipal reports and presidential statements show wide differences on property losses. One municipality in Concepción recorded 253 homes destroyed, but President Boric warned that such tallies are a "significant underestimate" and said the eventual count of destroyed homes will exceed 1,000. Video and on-the-ground reporting show extensive destruction to vehicles, schools and at least one church in Penco and neighboring communities.
The declaration of a state of catastrophe expands the government's ability to coordinate military assistance and fast-track emergency measures, including a nighttime curfew in affected municipalities to facilitate relief operations. Firefighting resources have been mobilized from multiple regions and emergency shelters have been established for displaced families, but officials said weather conditions are complicating containment.
A heat wave that pushed temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, roughly 38 degrees Celsius, combined with powerful winds, has accelerated fire spread and hampered aerial and ground firefighting. The blazes come amid a yearslong drought that authorities say has left vegetation tinder-dry and increased the risk of large, fast-moving fires. Analysts and officials note the pattern follows an intensifying wildfire season for Chile, which experienced catastrophic coastal fires in 2024 that killed at least 130 people.
Search and damage-assessment operations are expected to continue for days. Officials have repeatedly warned that death and loss figures are preliminary and likely to increase as emergency teams reach isolated areas and complete censuses of destroyed property. The government has called for national solidarity and pledged continued support for affected communities as recovery and reconstruction needs are tallied.
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