Wildfire Claims Eighteen Lives in Chile

(MENAFN) Central Chile is grappling with a devastating wildfire crisis that has claimed at least 18 lives, with authorities bracing for the casualty count to climb significantly higher, President Gabriel Boric announced Sunday.

"We have a confirmed number today of 18 deceased persons, but we have the certainty, unfortunately, that this number will increase," Boric told reporters.

By 6 pm local time (2100GMT) Sunday, firefighting crews from the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF) and emergency response units were battling 33 active forest fires ravaging extensive areas across the Biobio and Nuble regions.

The blazes continue spreading through Laja, Ranquil, Florida, Santa Juana, Quillon, and Nacimiento, officials confirmed.

In response to the escalating emergency, Boric announced that catastrophe status was officially enacted at 2:30 am for both affected regions "due to the severity" of the fires, enabling enhanced containment operations, logistical coordination, and security measures.

The South American nation has implemented strict curfews—beginning at 7 pm indefinitely in the Lirquen area, and running from 8 pm to 6 am Monday in Penco, Nacimiento, and Laja.

While authorities have officially verified 300 destroyed homes in Biobio, Boric projected the final tally would surpass 1,000 structures across both regions.

The president emphasized the critical importance of immediate compliance with evacuation orders, highlighting how quickly the Penco-Lirquen blaze has expanded.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Chile Brandon Judd announced via X, the US social media platform, that President Donald Trump had authorized him to support Chile with assistance to combat the wildfires.

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