Central and southern Chile are confronting a devastating wildfire crisis that has resulted in at least 15 fatalities and prompted mass evacuations, compelling President Gabriel Boric to declare a state of catastrophe in multiple regions. The infernos, fueled by an intense heat wave with temperatures exceeding 38°C (100°F) and fanned by strong winds, have ravaged approximately 8,500 hectares (21,000 acres) of forestland and destroyed hundreds of residential structures.
President Boric’s emergency declaration covers the central Biobio region and neighboring Ñuble region, situated roughly 500 kilometers south of the capital Santiago. This measure enables enhanced military coordination to combat two dozen active blazes that have forced 50,000 residents to flee their homes. Despite presidential assurances that “all resources are available,” local officials reported significant delays in federal response during critical early hours of the disaster.
Rodrigo Vera, mayor of the coastal town Penco, expressed desperate frustration: “Dear President Boric, from the bottom of my heart, I have been here for four hours, a community is burning and there is no government presence.” His sentiment echoed across affected communities where firefighters battled relentlessly against rapidly spreading flames.
Survivors described terrifying midnight escapes as fires encircled residential areas without warning. “We fled running, with the kids, in the dark,” recounted Juan Lagos, 52, from Penco where the fire consumed cars, a school, and a church. The human toll became increasingly evident as charred remains were discovered in fields, homes, and vehicles throughout the impacted zones, with local residents mourning neighbors lost to the flames.
The municipality of Concepcion alone reported 253 homes destroyed, though national damage assessments remain ongoing as emergency teams work to contain the spreading wildfires under challenging meteorological conditions.