A firefighter walks near to burning vegetation in the town of Penco, following the wildfires that ravaged the area surrounding the city of Concepción, Chile, on January 19, 2026. (AFP photo)
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Moneycontrol20-01-2026, 08:03

Chile Wildfires Rage for Third Day, Devastating Towns and Claiming 19 Lives

  • Wildfires in Chile's Nuble and Biobio regions have killed 19 people and destroyed entire towns, raging for a third day.
  • The blazes, fanned by warm temperatures and strong winds, have impacted an area the size of Detroit, destroying or damaging around 1,000 homes.
  • President Gabriel Boric declared Nuble and Biobio disaster areas, deploying soldiers as new fires erupted in Araucania.
  • Residents like Yagora Vasquez and Mareli Torres describe fleeing a "wave of fire," comparing the devastation to the 2010 tsunami.
  • Over 3,500 firefighters are battling the blazes, with climate change identified as a factor contributing to extreme fire seasons in the region.

Why It Matters: Devastating wildfires continue to rage in southern Chile, causing significant loss of life and widespread destruction.

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