Wildfires have broken out in Chile. 18 people have died in these fires. Thousands of acres of forest have been destroyed. Chilean President Gabriel Boric has declared a state of emergency. The Chilean forestry agency stated that due to the severity of the fires, more than 20,000 people have left their homes. Firefighters are trying to control the fires in 25 locations across the country. The fires are spreading rapidly in the Nuble and Bio Bio regions, located about 500 kilometers south of the capital Santiago.

So far, approximately 8,500 hectares (21,000 acres) of forest area have been consumed by the fire in these two regions. As the fires are spreading to villages, authorities have ordered people to evacuate. The Chilean disaster management agency revealed that approximately 20,000 people have been moved to safe areas and at least 250 houses have been completely destroyed.

January 18, 2026