Overview
- Authorities report roughly two dozen active fires, with about 8,500 hectares burned in the hardest-hit regions.
- Evacuations total nearly 20,000 people according to SENAPRED, while security officials cited a higher figure of about 50,000.
- Officials have confirmed multiple fatalities, with counts ranging from at least 15 to 16 reported across different briefings.
- At least 250 homes have been destroyed as fires encroach on populated areas around Penco and Lirquén.
- Extreme heat near 38°C and strong winds are fueling rapid spread and complicating firefighting efforts, with concern focused on the Penco–Lirquén Hospital and the Indura gas plant.