Chile wildfires kill 19 as extreme heat fuels mass evacuations

Wildfires raging across Chile have killed at least 19 people, authorities said on Monday, as the government ordered mass evacuations and firefighters battled nearly two dozen blazes fuelled by extreme heat and strong winds.

While cooler overnight conditions helped bring some fires under control, the largest blazes remained active, with dangerous weather expected to persist through the day, Security Minister Luis Cordero told a news briefing.

“The projection we have today is of high temperatures,” Cordero said, warning that conditions could spark new fires across affected regions.

Parts of central and southern Chile are under extreme heat alerts, with temperatures forecast to reach as high as 37 degrees Celsius (99 degrees Fahrenheit).

State of emergency in Ñuble and Bío Bío

As of late Sunday, Chile’s national forestry agency CONAF said firefighters were battling 23 wildfires nationwide. The most severe fires were concentrated in the Ñuble and Bío Bío regions, where President Gabriel Boric has declared a state of catastrophe.

More than 20,000 hectares (77 square miles) have been burned so far—an area roughly the size of Seattle. The largest blaze has consumed over 14,000 hectares on the outskirts of the coastal city of Concepción.

The fast-moving fire swept through the towns of Penco and Lirquén over the weekend, destroying hundreds of homes and killing several people. Authorities said damage assessments were still ongoing.

Firefighters are currently working to contain flames threatening the Manzano prison near Concepción and the town of Tomé to the north.

Heat, wildfires also affect Argentina

Chile and neighbouring Argentina entered the new year amid prolonged heat waves that have extended into January. Earlier this month, wildfires in Argentina’s Patagonia region burned around 15,000 hectares, underscoring the growing impact of extreme weather across the southern cone.