Overview
- President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe in Biobío and Ñuble to mobilize the military and coordinate the response.
- About 50,000 residents were ordered to move to safety as hundreds of firefighters and soldiers battled roughly two dozen active fires.
- Hundreds of homes have been destroyed, with official counts topping 250 and some tallies near 300 in hard‑hit communities such as Penco and Concepción.
- Authorities report at least 8,500 hectares burned, while some outlets cite up to 24,000 hectares, underscoring uncertainty as assessments continue.
- Officials say most fires in Chile are human‑caused, and prosecutors have opened investigations into the latest outbreaks.