santiago, chile
Reuters
—
Chilean President Gabriel Boric announced early Sunday that catastrophe had struck two regions in the country’s south as raging wildfires forced the evacuation of at least 20,000 people and killed at least 16.
Chile’s CONAF Forest Service said there were 24 fires burning across the country as of Sunday morning, with firefighters working to extinguish them, the largest in Uble and Bío Bío states, where the government had declared a state of emergency. These regions are approximately 500 km south of the capital, Santiago.
“Given the ongoing severity of the wildfires, I have decided to declare a state of catastrophe in the Uble and Biobio regions. All resources are available,” Boric said in a post on X.
Security Minister Luis Cordero told reporters on Sunday morning that 15 people had been confirmed dead in the Bío Bío region, bringing the total number of deaths to 16, after the government confirmed the death in Nyubre on Saturday.
The fires have so far destroyed about 8,500 hectares (21,000 acres) in both regions, putting several communities in the region at risk and authorities issuing evacuation orders.
Chile’s Cena Predo disaster authorities say nearly 20,000 people have been evacuated and at least 250 homes have been destroyed.
Authorities say adverse conditions, including strong winds and high temperatures, helped the wildfire spread, complicating firefighters’ ability to extinguish it. Much of Chile was under a heatwave warning, with temperatures expected to reach up to 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) from Santiago to Bío Bío on Sunday and Monday.
Both Chile and Argentina have been hit by extreme temperatures and heatwaves since the beginning of the year, and devastating wildfires broke out in Argentine Patagonia earlier this month.
