Wildfires in Chile kill at least 18, displace 50,000, as President Boric declares a state of emergency in the Nuble and Biobio regions
PENCO, CHILE: Uncontrolled wildfires have torn through communities in southern Chile, killing at least 18 people and displacing more than 50,000.
The blazes have been burning for two days in the Nuble and Biobio regions about 500 kilometres south of Santiago, fanned by strong winds and hot weather.
“We had to leave with the shirts on our back,” said Matias Cid, a 25-year-old student in the city of Penco.
He described fast-moving flames burning through the night and devouring homes.
Most of the fatalities from the wildfires have so far been in Penco, according to Mayor Rodrigo Vera.
President Gabriel Boric declared a state of emergency in Nuble and Biobio as nearly 4,000 firefighters battled the wildfires.
The order allows for the deployment of the armed forces to assist.
“We have a confirmed number of 18 deaths today, but we are certain that this number will increase,” Boric said.
The president traveled to the badly impacted city of Concepcion to oversee the firefighting efforts.
Alicia Cebrian, the director of the National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response, said most evacuations were in the Biobio towns of Penco and Lirquen.
Lirquen, a small port town, was also hit hard, with many people saving themselves by rushing to the beach.
“There is nothing left standing,” said resident Alejandro Arredondo as he surveyed a burning landscape.
The weather forecast on Sunday was bad for firefighters, with high temperatures and strong winds expected.
Wildfires have severely impacted south-central Chile in recent years amid growing signs of climate change.
In February 2024, several fires near the city of Vina del Mar resulted in 138 deaths, according to the public prosecutor’s office.