Deadly wildfires are raging through southern Chile, claiming at least 15 lives and displacing tens of thousands of residents. Authorities have declared a state of emergency in the hardest-hit areas as fire crews battle the blazes.
Emergency Declared in Southern Regions
Security Minister Luis Cordero confirmed the fatalities are connected to fires burning across the Ñuble and Biobío regions. These areas lie approximately 500 kilometers south of Santiago, the capital city.
President Gabriel Boric took decisive action on Sunday. He declared a state of natural disaster for both regions. Boric emphasized the severity of the situation requires full mobilization of all state resources.
"In the face of the ongoing serious fires, I have decided to declare a state of natural disaster for the Ñuble and Biobío regions," Boric stated in a social media post. He added that "all resources are available" to combat the crisis.
Firefighting Efforts and Evacuations
Fire crews are currently fighting at least 19 active wildfires across the nation. Twelve of these fires are concentrated in the two southern regions. The government has not yet released an official damage assessment for homes or infrastructure.
Alicia Cebrián, who leads the National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response, spoke to local media. She reported around 20,000 people have been evacuated. Most evacuees come from the Biobío cities of Penco and Lirquén. These cities have a combined population of about 60,000 residents.
Other government sources suggest the number of evacuees may be even higher. Television footage shows the terrifying scale of the disaster. Flames are tearing through residential neighborhoods. Burnt-out vehicles line the streets, illustrating the fires' destructive path.
Chile's History with Wildfires
Chile has experienced increasingly devastating wildfires in recent years. In February of last year, fires near Viña del Mar proved particularly tragic. Those fires killed 138 people and affected approximately 16,000 others, according to prosecutors and emergency officials.
The current situation highlights the ongoing challenge Chile faces with these natural disasters. The declaration of a state of natural disaster aims to streamline the response and provide necessary aid to affected communities.
