Name: Death toll rises as Chile wildfires reach urban zones
Uploaded: 2026-01-19T10:06:41.427Z
Duration: 1 min 37 s
Description: Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe in two regions in the south of the country on Sunday as raging wildfires forced at least 20,000 people to evacuate and left at least 18 people dead.

Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe in two regions in the south of the country on Sunday as raging wildfires forced at least 20,000 people to evacuate and left at least 18 people dead.

Penco

Wildfires in Chile's Biobío and Yubla regions have resulted in at least 18 deaths and the evacuation of nearly 20,000 residents, according to President Gabriel Boric. The fires, fueled by strong winds and extreme heat, have scorched approximately 21,000 acres and destroyed at least 250 homes, with flames now reaching urban areas for the first time.

Firefighters are currently battling 24 active blazes nationwide, and a state of catastrophe has been declared in the most affected regions. Much of Chile remains under extreme heat alerts, with temperatures expected to reach 100°F, while neighboring Argentina is also experiencing severe heat waves and wildfires.

Death toll rises as Chile wildfires reach urban zones

Thick smoke hangs over the city of Concepcion as wildfires continue to sweep through Chile's Biobío and Yubla regions. President Gabriel Boric said at least 18 people have been killed, while nearly 20,000 residents have been forced to evacuate as the fires spread. Firefighters were battling 24 active blazes nationwide as of Sunday morning, with the largest burning in the two southern regions where the government has declared a state of catastrophe. So far, the flames have scorched roughly 21,000 acres, threatening multiple communities and triggering widespread evacuation orders. Chile's disaster agency said that at least 250 homes have been destroyed. A resident of Concepcion said it was worse than in past years. In this area, the truth is we're used to fires. We're used to seeing this. We saw it last year, too. The year before, too. But each year seems worse than the one before. I think this time the catastrophe is different because it reached the urban area, and that's what's painful. Strong winds and extreme heat have fueled the flames and made firefighting efforts more difficult. Much of Chile was under extreme heat alerts, with temperatures expected to reach up to 100 Fahrenheit from Santiago to Biobío on Monday. Both Chile and neighboring Argentina have faced severe heat waves since the start of the year. Earlier this month, devastating wildfires broke out in Argentina's Paragonia region.

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