Chilean authorities have declared a state of emergency in southern regions as devastating wildfires continue to rage, resulting in at least 15 fatalities and the evacuation of over 50,000 residents. The catastrophic blazes, primarily concentrated in the Nuble and Biobio regions approximately 500 kilometers south of Santiago, have been fueled by intense summer heat and powerful winds characteristic of the Southern Hemisphere’s current season.
Security Minister Luis Cordero confirmed the death toll Sunday as firefighting crews battled nearly two dozen separate infernos across the affected areas. Interior Minister Alvaro Elizalde characterized the situation as ‘complicated,’ emphasizing the severity of the crisis unfolding in the south-central territories.
President Gabriel Boric activated emergency protocols through a social media announcement, mobilizing all available national resources including military assistance. The declaration enables armed forces deployment to support fire containment and evacuation efforts amid the escalating disaster.
National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response director Alicia Cebrian reported that the majority of evacuations occurred in the Biobio cities of Penco and Lirquen, with a combined population of approximately 60,000 inhabitants. Local television broadcasts depicted harrowing scenes of streets filled with charred vehicles and neighborhoods engulfed in flames.
This tragedy echoes previous wildfire catastrophes that have plagued Chile’s south-central regions in recent years. In February 2024, simultaneous fires near Viña del Mar resulted in 138 fatalities and affected approximately 16,000 residents, according to official records from the public prosecutor’s office.