Wildfires sweep Chile, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate and leaving fatalities

Due to the critical situation, Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared a state of emergency in two regions, Ñuble and Biobío.

According to authorities, the fires have burned nearly 8,500 hectares and destroyed at least 250 homes. In total, evacuation orders were issued for around 20,000 people.

The largest clusters of fires have been recorded in southern Chile, about 500 kilometers from the capital, Santiago.

Officials said the rapid spread of the flames has been driven by severe weather conditions, including strong winds and abnormally high temperatures, significantly complicating the work of firefighters and emergency services.

In addition, extreme heat warnings have been issued across much of Chile. Meteorologists forecast temperatures rising to as high as 38°C in regions from Santiago to Biobío, which could further worsen the wildfire situation.

Wildfires in other countries

Earlier, on January 10, a state of emergency was declared in Australia’s state of Victoria due to extremely severe wildfires. The emergency regime covered 18 municipalities as well as a ski resort.

As a result of the fires, about 38,000 homes and businesses were left without electricity. The blazes destroyed more than 130 structures and scorched over 300,000 hectares of vegetation. At least 10 major fire fronts remain active, with their intensity already being compared to the catastrophic “Black Summer” fires of 2019–2020.

Large wildfires have also been reported elsewhere. On July 22, a major forest fire broke out in the mountains near the Greek city of Corinth, prompting evacuations in several settlements. Greece faces large-scale wildfires every summer, with the deadliest in recent history occurring in 2018 in the coastal town of Mati, where more than 100 people died while trying to escape the flames, some drowning after fleeing into the sea.