SANTIAGO, Chile: At least 18 people have been killed in wildfires sweeping through central Chile, President Gabriel Boric said on Sunday, warning that the death toll is likely to rise as dozens of fires continue to burn across two regions.
“We have a confirmed number today of 18 deceased persons, but we have the certainty, unfortunately, that this number will increase,” Boric told reporters.
As of 6pm local time (21:00 GMT) on Sunday, 33 forest fires were still active across the Biobio and Nuble regions, according to Chile’s National Forestry Corporation (CONAF), with emergency teams struggling to contain the fast-moving blazes.
Authorities said fires remained active in the towns of Laja, Ranquil, Florida, Santa Juana, Quillon and Nacimiento, where strong winds and dry conditions have fueled the spread of flames.
Boric said a state of catastrophe was declared at 2:30am for the two affected regions “due to the severity” of the fires and to facilitate containment efforts, logistics and security.
The government also imposed curfews in several areas, including Lirquen from 7pm until further notice, and in Penco, Nacimiento and Laja from 8pm until 6am on Monday, as a precaution to protect residents and allow emergency crews to operate.
At least 300 homes have been officially confirmed destroyed in Biobio, but Boric said the final number is expected to exceed 1,000 across both regions.
He urged residents to swiftly comply with emergency alerts, citing the rapid spread of the Penco-Lirquen fire as a stark example of how quickly conditions can deteriorate.
The United States has also offered support. US Ambassador to Chile Brandon Judd said in a post on social media platform X that President Donald Trump had authorized him to assist Chile with efforts to combat the wildfires.
Investigations into the causes of the fires are ongoing, as authorities continue to battle the blazes and assess the full scale of the damage.
