Several wildfires erupted simultaneously in the central region of Valparaíso, about 100 kilometers east of Santiago, causing widespread damage and prompting a rapid government response. In response, the Chilean president declared a state of emergency to mobilize the resources needed to manage the disaster and support affected communities.
The authorities have not yet confirmed a final casualty figure. Interior officials noted that numbers varied in initial reports, with early estimates ranging from ten to sixteen fatalities. A clearer tally was expected with daylight, as stated by Interior Minister Carolina Tohá.
Preliminary assessments indicated that roughly a thousand homes were affected by the blazes. To accelerate emergency operations and reduce unnecessary travel, curfews were imposed from eight o’clock in the morning to noon in several areas of the Valparaíso region.
Among the hardest-hit areas are the towns of Quilpué and Villa Alemana, as well as the El Olivar area and the Chacao Canal region near Viña del Mar. Local officials expressed alarm, with Viñamarina mayor Macarena Ripamonti describing the situation as an unprecedented disaster.
By midnight, President Boric confirmed the state of emergency in the Valparaíso region, enabling faster mobilization of resources to fight the fires. He acknowledged the challenge posed by high temperatures and winds, but promised that authorities would do everything possible to confront the emergency.
The fires occurred during one of the region’s most intense heat events in recent years, with temperatures reaching up to 38 degrees Celsius in some areas. The rapid spread was attributed to weather conditions that favored fire activity and hindered containment efforts.
Given the simultaneous nature of the blazes, authorities suggested the fires might have been set deliberately and warned that the coming weekend could bring further high temperatures and strong winds, potentially sustaining fire activity or rekindling flames.
Chile has faced a history of devastating fires in recent years, including a major wave the previous year that claimed lives and destroyed thousands of homes across several southern central regions. Analysts point to a combination of rising temperatures and land-use patterns based on monoculture forestry, including pine and eucalyptus, as contributing factors.
Even with a notably wet winter in the recent past, experts have cautioned that drought conditions persist. They warn that dry vegetation remains highly flammable, particularly in the central region, and that ongoing climatic pressures could keep fire risk elevated through the season. The situation underscores the importance of coordinated emergency response, community resilience, and long-term planning to reduce vulnerability in fire-prone areas (Attribution: National emergency authorities and independent climate researchers).