Wildfires raging across central and southern Chile have killed at least 18 people, scorched thousands of hectares of forest and destroyed scores of homes, authorities said, as the country swelters under a heatwave. President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe in the Biobío and Ñuble regions, about 500km south of Santiago, to coordinate military assistance in tackling two dozen fires.
The fires have burned through 8,500 hectares and forced 50,000 people to evacuate, according to security minister Luis Cordero. However, local officials reported that for hours on Sunday, destruction was widespread and help from the federal government was absent. Rodrigo Vera, mayor of the coastal town of Penco in Biobío, appealed directly to President Boric, saying, 'Dear President Boric, from the bottom of my heart, I have been here for four hours, a community is burning and there is no presence.'
Firefighters struggled to contain the flames amid strong winds and scorching weather, with temperatures reaching 38°C. Residents said the fires took them by surprise after midnight, trapping them in their homes. 'Many people didn't evacuate. They stayed in their houses because they thought the fire would stop at the edge of the forest,' said John Guzmán, 55, from Penco. 'It was completely out of control. No one expected it.'
Charred bodies were found across fields, homes, roads, and cars. All but one of the fatalities were in Penco, according to Mayor Vera. Juan Lagos, 52, also from Penco, said, 'We fled running, with the kids, in the dark.' The fire engulfed most of the city, burning cars, a school, and a church. Matias Cid, a 25-year-old student, described fast-moving flames: 'We had to leave with the shirts on our back. If we had stayed another 20 minutes we would have burned to death.'
In Lirquén, a small port town, many residents saved themselves by rushing to the beach. 'There is nothing left standing,' said Alejandro Arredondo, 57, surveying the remains of homes. One municipality in Concepción reported 253 homes destroyed. The cause of the fires remains under investigation.
