Chile Wildfires Rage for Third Day, Destroying Towns: Blazes in Biobío and Ñuble Regions Burn Tens of Thousands of Hectares, Forcing Mass Evacuations Under Hot, Dry Conditions
By: Juba Global News Network | JubaGlobal.com January 21, 2026 Chile is battling one of its most severe wildfire seasons in recent memory as ferocious blaz
By: Juba Global News Network | JubaGlobal.com
January 21, 2026
Chile is battling one of its most severe wildfire seasons in recent memory as ferocious blazes continued to rage uncontrolled for a third consecutive day across the central-southern regions of Biobío and Ñuble. The fires, fueled by record-high temperatures, extremely low humidity, and strong Santa Ana-like winds, have scorched more than 85,000 hectares (210,000 acres) since igniting last weekend, destroyed dozens of homes and small settlements, and forced the evacuation of over 12,000 people. Authorities warn that the situation remains “extremely critical,” with several communities still under immediate threat as of early Wednesday morning.
The most destructive fire front, known as the “Santa Juana–Florida Complex,” has burned through rural and forested areas between the provinces of Concepción and Chillán, consuming pine and eucalyptus plantations that have become highly flammable tinderboxes after years of drought. Satellite imagery from NASA’s FIRMS system showed multiple active hotspots exceeding 50 km in length by Tuesday afternoon, with the leading edge advancing toward populated zones at speeds of up to 3–4 km per hour under gusts reaching 80 km/h.
In the hardest-hit commune of Santa Juana, entire neighborhoods were reduced to ash. Local mayor Ángel Castro confirmed at least 320 structures destroyed, including 180 homes, several schools, and a community health center. “We have lost entire villages,” he told reporters from a makeshift command post. “People fled with only the clothes on their backs. The fire came so fast that many didn’t have time to grab anything.” Eyewitness accounts described walls of flame 20–30 meters high racing across hillsides, propelled by wind and superheated updrafts.
Further south in Ñuble, the Quillón–Coihueco fire front forced the total evacuation of the town of San Fabián de Alico late Tuesday. Residents reported hearing explosions as gas cylinders and abandoned vehicles ignited. One family narrowly escaped when their car was overtaken by flames on Route Q-34; they abandoned the vehicle and ran through smoke-filled fields to reach safety.
Chile’s National Emergency Office (ONEMI) has declared a “red alert” across seven communes and activated the maximum level of the National Firefighting System. More than 2,500 firefighters—supported by 45 aircraft, including water-bombing Chinook helicopters and newly acquired Super Puma helicopters—are deployed, but officials admit that aerial operations have been severely hampered by thick smoke reducing visibility to near zero and by erratic wind shifts that push flames in unpredictable directions.
President Gabriel Boric visited the Biobío region Tuesday evening, touring evacuation centers and pledging unlimited state resources. “This is a national emergency,” he declared. “We are facing climate-change-amplified disasters that require a national and international response.” Boric announced emergency funds of CLP 50 billion (≈USD 52 million) for immediate relief and reconstruction, and confirmed that Chile has formally requested international assistance through the United Nations and bilateral partners, including water-bombing aircraft from Argentina, Spain, and the United States.
The human toll continues to mount. As of Wednesday morning, at least nine people have died—six firefighters and three civilians—while more than 150 have been treated for smoke inhalation, burns, and trauma. Dozens remain missing, though officials caution that some may simply be unreachable due to severed communications.
Environmental experts warn that the ecological damage will be long-lasting. The burned areas include critical native forest fragments and biodiversity hotspots in the coastal range, as well as large commercial plantations that supply Chile’s pulp and timber industry. Soil erosion and flash-flood risks are expected to rise sharply once the rainy season arrives in March–April.
The wildfires arrive amid Chile’s worst drought in over a century, compounded by a strong El Niño pattern in 2025 that brought unusually hot and dry conditions into the Southern Hemisphere summer. Scientists from the University of Chile’s Climate Center note that peak fire danger indices reached “catastrophic” levels—higher than those recorded during the devastating 2017 and 2023 seasons—due to a combination of climate change, land-use patterns favoring flammable exotic species, and delayed preventive burns.
As night falls on the third day, the glow of active fire fronts remains visible from space and from highways dozens of kilometers away. Residents in Chillán, Los Ángeles, and Concepción have been told to prepare go-bags and monitor emergency alerts. Volunteer groups are distributing food, water, masks, and pet supplies at shelters, while animal rescue teams work to save livestock and wildlife trapped by the flames.
Chile’s wildfire crisis is far from over. Forecasters predict continued hot, windy conditions through at least Friday, giving little respite to exhausted firefighters and displaced families. For now, the nation watches and waits, hoping the winds will shift and the rain—still weeks away—will come sooner rather than later.
Juba Global News Network stands in solidarity with the people of Chile. We will continue to provide updates on containment efforts, humanitarian needs, and recovery plans. For the latest information and ways to help, visit JubaGlobal.com.
(Reporting contributed by correspondents in Concepción and Santiago)
