At least 18 people have died and tens of thousands more have been forced to evacuate as severe wildfires ravage parts of central and southern Chile, authorities said Sunday. President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe in the Ñuble and Biobío regions, where extreme summer heat and strong winds have rapidly fueled dozens of blazes that continue to threaten communities and overwhelm firefighting resources.
The Chilean forestry agency reported that firefighters are battling roughly 24 active fires nationwide, with the worst damage concentrated near the city of Concepción, about 500 km south of Santiago. Officials said the fires have scorched nearly 8,500 hectares of land, destroyed hundreds of homes, and forced the evacuation of around 20,000 residents, with numbers expected to rise as conditions worsen.
Extreme heat alerts remain in place across much of the country, with forecasts of temperatures reaching up to 38 °C (100 °F) — a combination of heat and wind that has complicated efforts to contain the blazes and protect at-risk communities. Chile’s national disaster agency and emergency crews, along with the military, have been mobilized to support firefighting and evacuation efforts.
Local officials warned that the death toll and damage could increase as fires continue to spread. — news as reported.
