Fifteen people have died and tens of thousands have been forced from their homes as ferocious wildfires rage across southern Chile, prompting the government to declare a state of emergency.
State of Emergency Amid Devastation
Chilean Security Minister Luis Cordero confirmed the death toll, stating that 14 separate blazes have torn through approximately 8,500 hectares (21,000 acres) over two days. The fires are concentrated in the Nuble and Biobio regions, roughly 500 kilometres south of the capital, Santiago.
President Gabriel Boric announced the state of emergency for the affected regions on the social media platform X, pledging that "all resources are available" and committing the armed forces to the response. Nearly 4,000 firefighters are battling the infernos, which are being fuelled by gusting winds and hot summer temperatures in the southern hemisphere.
Local Anger Over Government Response
Despite the federal declaration, the government's reaction has faced sharp criticism from local officials who say help was desperately slow to arrive. Rodrigo Vera, the mayor of the coastal town of Penco in Biobio, voiced his frustration publicly, addressing President Boric directly.
"Dear President Boric, from the bottom of my heart, I have been here for four hours, a community is burning and there is no (government) presence," Mayor Vera said. He added that all but one of the fatalities occurred in Penco, where flames surged after midnight, trapping residents in their homes.
Eyewitness accounts paint a picture of sheer terror and rapid devastation. "We had to leave with the shirts on our backs. If we had stayed another 20 minutes, we would have burned to death," recounted 25-year-old student Matias Cid from Penco.
Scenes of Destruction and a History of Fire
The scale of destruction is immense. Charred bodies have been discovered in fields, homes, vehicles, and along roadsides. In the port town of Lirquen, residents fled to the beach for safety. "There is nothing left standing," said 57-year-old Alejandro Arredondo, surveying the smouldering ruins of his community.
Alicia Cebrian, director of Chile's National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response, stated that most evacuations were from Penco and Lirquen, which have a combined population of around 60,000. In the municipality of Concepcion alone, 253 homes have been reported destroyed, though a national figure remains unclear.
Officials warn that the weather offers little reprieve, with forecasts predicting continued high temperatures and strong winds. The region reportedly reached 38°C (100°F) recently. This tragedy echoes recent history; in February 2024, 138 people died in wildfires near Vina del Mar, northwest of Santiago, according to the public prosecutor's office.
As communities mourn their losses, the focus remains on containing the blazes and supporting the displaced. "We face a complicated situation," Interior Minister Alvaro Elizalde acknowledged, underscoring the severe challenge facing the nation.
