Chile has declared a state of catastrophe in two regions. This is because of serious wildfires. The fires have caused deaths and many people have lost their homes. President Gabriel Boric announced this on Sunday. He has sent soldiers to help emergency workers. The military will support the services that are very busy.
The Ñuble and Biobío regions are most affected. These areas are south of the capital, Santiago. They have beautiful forests and many people live there. The catastrophe declaration gives leaders more power. They can use more resources and move the army. This helps speed up aid to people. This situation is like the big fires in February 2024.
Sadly, at least 18 people have died. More deaths are possible. More than 50,000 people have left their homes. They are trying to escape the fires. Towns near Concepción have been evacuated. About 250 houses are gone.
The fires are happening during a big heatwave. Temperatures are very high, up to 38 degrees Celsius. Strong winds are also making the fires worse. Firefighters are working hard to stop them. The national forestry agency, Conaf, said there are 24 fires. The dry forests burn easily.
Over 8,500 hectares of land are burned. This shows how big the problem is. Emergency services are under a lot of pressure. The weather is expected to stay bad. Therefore, stopping the fires will be difficult. The catastrophe declaration shows Chile is facing a big problem.