Chile Declares Emergency as Wildfires Kill 18, Force Mass Evacuations

Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe on Sunday in the southern regions of Ñuble and Bío Bío after wildfires claimed at least 18 lives and forced nearly 20,000 people to evacuate, officials said, as reported by Reuters. The affected regions are located about 500 kilometres south of Santiago.

According to Chile’s forestry agency, CONAF, firefighters were battling 24 active fires across the country, with the largest and most severe in the two southern regions. The fires have destroyed close to 8,500 hectares of land, putting local communities at risk and prompting large-scale evacuation orders.

The national disaster agency, Senapred, confirmed that at least 250 homes have been destroyed. Emergency personnel were deployed to assist in firefighting and relief efforts, though strong winds and high temperatures have hampered containment operations.

Authorities warned that extreme heat and dry conditions have fueled the spread of the fires. Much of central and southern Chile was under heat alerts, with temperatures expected to reach 38°C (100°F). Chile and neighbouring Argentina have faced record-high temperatures this year, worsening wildfire risks.