Chilean President Gabriel Boric has declared a state of emergency for the Ñuble and Bío Bío regions in southern Chile after wildfires forced about 20,000 people to evacuate their homes.
According to Chile’s National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response, firefighters were battling 19 active fires nationwide, with 12 concentrated in the Ñuble and Bío Bío regions, located roughly 500 km south of Santiago. Most evacuations occurred in the cities of Penco and Lirquén, which together have a population of around 60,000.
President Boric assured that all available resources would be deployed to combat the blazes, posting on X: “In the face of the ongoing serious fires, I have decided to declare a state of natural disaster for the Ñuble and Bío Bío regions. All resources are available.”
Images broadcast locally show flames engulfing homes and streets, with charred vehicles visible, highlighting the intensity of the fires.
Wildfires have been a recurring threat in south-central Chile in recent years.
In February 2024, simultaneous fires near Vina del Mar resulted in 138 deaths and 16,000 people affected, showing the devastating impact such events can have on local communities.
DDM will continued monitoring the situation closely as efforts o control the fires and safeguard affected populations.