Chile declares state of catastrophe as wildfires kill 18 and force mass evacuations

Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe in two southern regions on Sunday (18 Jan) as rapidly spreading wildfires forced large-scale evacuations and caused multiple fatalities.

The emergency declaration applies to the Ñuble and Bío Bío regions, located about 500 kilometres south of the capital, Santiago.

Boric said the decision was taken in response to the severity of the fires, adding that all available state resources would be mobilised to address the crisis.

Death Toll and Evacuations Rise

At least 18 people have died as a result of the wildfires, Boric said on Sunday evening following a meeting with mayors from affected municipalities in the city of Concepción.

Authorities reported that nearly 20,000 residents had been evacuated from threatened areas.

Chile’s National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senapred) said at least 250 homes have been destroyed so far, with multiple communities remaining at risk as fires continue to advance.

Fires Burn Thousands of Hectares

According to Chile’s CONAF forestry agency, firefighters were battling 24 active wildfires nationwide as of Sunday morning.

The largest and most destructive blazes were concentrated in Ñuble and Bío Bío.

The fires have already burned nearly 8,500 hectares (21,000 acres), prompting evacuation orders across several districts as authorities sought to protect residents from advancing flames.

Extreme Weather Fuels Blaze

Officials said extreme weather conditions, including strong winds and unusually high temperatures, have accelerated the spread of the fires and hampered containment efforts.

Much of central and southern Chile was placed under extreme heat alerts, with temperatures forecast to reach up to 38 degrees Celsius.

The wildfires come amid a broader regional heatwave affecting both Chile and neighbouring Argentina, where severe fires recently broke out in the Patagonia region earlier this month.

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