Wildfires Sweep Across Chile, Killing 18 and Forcing Tens of Thousands to Flee

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Penco: At least 18 people have been killed as fast-moving wildfires tore through central and southern Chile, destroying hundreds of homes and forcing tens of thousands of residents to flee amid extreme heat and strong winds, authorities said on Sunday.

The blazes, fueled by a severe heat wave, have scorched more than 8,500 hectares of land across multiple regions. President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe in the Biobío region and neighboring Ñuble region, about 500 kilometres south of the capital Santiago, allowing the government to deploy military forces and mobilise additional resources to battle the fires.

Speaking from the hard-hit city of Concepción, Boric warned that the death toll and scale of destruction were likely to rise as assessments continued. While initial reports confirmed 18 fatalities and around 300 homes destroyed, he said the number of affected houses in Biobío alone was “certainly more than a thousand.”

The fires have already forced around 50,000 people to evacuate, with thousands seeking shelter in emergency centres after flames engulfed entire neighbourhoods. In the coastal town of Penco, cars, homes, a school and a church were destroyed as fires spread rapidly overnight.

Firefighting efforts have been hampered by extreme temperatures, which reached 38 degrees Celsius on Sunday, as well as strong winds and rugged terrain. Interior Minister Álvaro Elizalde warned that weather conditions were expected to remain dangerous, with extreme heat forecast to persist.

Residents said the fires erupted suddenly, leaving many with little time to escape. Local officials criticised delays in emergency response, saying communities were left to cope as flames advanced.

Authorities imposed a nighttime curfew in affected areas as rescue teams searched for victims. Charred bodies were found in homes, vehicles and open fields, underscoring the scale of the devastation.

Wildfires regularly affect Chile during the summer months, particularly as prolonged drought and rising temperatures intensify conditions. In 2024, fires along Chile’s central coast killed at least 130 people, marking one of the country’s deadliest natural disasters in recent history.