Chile in Danger: Deadly wildfires kill 20,forced 50,000 to flee; President declares ‘State of Catastrophe’

Chile is under extreme climate threat of dangerously uncontrollable fires.

A tragic incident took immediate attention as the government called for a state of emergency after two deadly wildfires started raging.

Chile's president Gabriel Boric has declared a "state of catastrophe" in two regions where deadly wildfires were seen escalating on Sunday, January 18, 2026, reports Al Jazeera.

Nearly 20 people were confirmed dead and about 20,000 have been evacuated in the Nuble and Biobio regions, about 500 km south of the capital, Santiago, disaster officials said.

Local media show pictures of burnt cars and smoldering wrecks in the streets and about 250 homes have been destroyed.

Chile's forestry agency, CONAF, said firefighters were battling a total of 24 fires across the country on Sunday and labeled it as the most threatening.

"In light of the serious ongoing wildfires, I have decided to declare a state of catastrophe" in the two regions, Boric said in a post on X. "All resources are available," he added.

The fires have affected 50,000 acres in the two regions so far, local media said.

Most of the evacuations were carried out in the cities of Penco and Lirquen, holding combined population of nearly 60,000 people, informed firefighters.

Strong winds have fanned the flames amid summer temperatures, endangering communities and hampering firefighting efforts,said Chilean community.

As per diaster officials the current situation informs that much of the region is under heat alerts, with temperatures expected to reach 38°C between Santiago and Biobio in the next two days, said officials.

Notably, Chile has experienced a series of devastating fires, worsened by long-term drought in recent years.

Two years ago, forest fires killed at least 120 people in the Valparaíso region near Santiago.

Additionally, emergency services continue to battle difficult terrain and shifting winds as thick smoke and orange skies blanket the region, highlighting the growing wildfire risk linked to climate extremes.

More evacuations are expected as the fire continues to spread, according to disaster management.

The world’s largest firefighting aircraft has flown in from the US, alongside help from France, Peru and Mexico, as fires continue to ravage Chilean lands,reports media.