Chile Wildfires Kill 19 as Ñuble and Biobío Under State of Catastrophe

Overview

• President Gabriel Boric ordered a state of catastrophe for Ñuble and Biobío, placed the military in charge locally, and imposed a nighttime curfew in hard-hit Penco and Lirquén.
• Authorities report roughly 50,000 people displaced, at least 19 fatalities, and a housing toll that includes 325 homes destroyed and more than 1,000 damaged.
• Fire crews number about 3,700 in the field, with around 14 active blazes in the two regions and earlier counts listing two dozen fires nationwide.
• The fires have burned more than 25,000 hectares, reaching urban areas in Penco, Lirquén, and Concepción where homes and vehicles were engulfed.
• Officials cite extreme heat and strong Puelche winds as key factors accelerating the fires and hindering containment efforts.