2024 Chile Wildfires
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In February 2024, a series of
wildfires A wildfire, forest fire, or a bushfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identified as a ...
broke out in Chile, affecting multiple
regions In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
including
Valparaíso Valparaíso () is a major city, Communes of Chile, commune, Port, seaport, and naval base facility in the Valparaíso Region of Chile. Valparaíso was originally named after Valparaíso de Arriba, in Castilla–La Mancha, Castile-La Mancha, Spain ...
, O'Higgins, Maule, Biobío, and Los Lagos. The most severe incidents occurred in the Valparaíso Region as of 5 February 2024. The Chilean government labeled the fires as the country's worst disaster since the
2010 Chile earthquake The 2010 Chile earthquake and tsunami () occurred off the coast of central Chile on Saturday, 27 February at 03:34:12 local time (06:34:12 UTC), having a magnitude of 8.8 on the moment magnitude scale, with intense shaking lasting for about ...
, and declared a two-day national mourning period.


Overview

Deputy Interior Minister Manuel Monsalve reported on 4 February that there were 162 forest fires across central and southern Chile. The region experienced unusually high temperatures, reaching up to 40 °C (104 °F) in the past week, worsened by the
El Niño EL, El or el may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional entities * El, a character from the manga series ''Shugo Chara!'' by Peach-Pit * Eleven (''Stranger Things'') (El), a fictional character in the TV series ''Stranger Things'' * El, fami ...
phenomenon and a " mega-drought" that has affected the country over the last decade. Over 43,000 hectares of land were affected. As of 4 February, authorities had managed to bring 43 fires under control, while 34 were still being dealt with. President
Gabriel Boric Gabriel Boric Font (; born 11 February 1986) is a Chilean politician and the President of Chile since 2022. He previously served two four-year terms as a deputy in the Chamber of Deputies of Chile, Chamber of Deputies. Boric first gained prom ...
suggested that some fires might have been intentionally started, a view supported by Valparaíso Region Governor Rodrigo Mundaca.


Preceding fires

In January 2024, two forest fires prompted the National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response (SENAPRED) to issue a red alert. One occurred on 20 January in Lonquimay,
Araucanía Region The Araucanía ( ), La Araucanía Region ( ) is one of Chile's 16 first-order administrative divisions, and comprises two provinces: Malleco in the north and Cautín in the south. Its capital and largest city is Temuco; other important cities ...
, and another on 26 January in
Puerto Montt Puerto Montt (Mapuche: Meli Pulli) is a port city and commune in southern Chile, located at the northern end of the Reloncaví Sound in the Llanquihue Province, Los Lagos Region, 1,055 km to the south of the capital, Santiago. The commune ...
, Los Lagos Region. On 22 January, a fire, named "Antiquereo 2", broke out on the boundary of Portezuelo and Trehuaco in the
Ñuble Region The Ñuble Region (, ) officially the Region of Ñuble (), is — since 5 September 2018 – one of Chile's sixteen regions of Chile, regions. It spans an area of , making it the smallest region in Chile in terms of area, and is administratively ...
. It was contained by 24 January after consuming . SENAPRED responded by declaring a yellow alert in Portezuelo, marking the first alert of the year in the region. By the end of January 2024, a fire originating in
Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
, Biobío Region, spread to
Quillón Quillón is a Chilean city and commune and Diguillín Province, Ñuble Region. Demographics According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Quillón spans an area of and has 15,146 inhabitants (7,699 men and 7,447 women). ...
in the Ñuble Region. The "Casablanca" fire, covering in the Peñablanca sector, was extinguished through collaborative efforts between the Quillón and Florida fire departments. In the last week of January 2024, a
heatwave A heat wave or heatwave, sometimes described as extreme heat, is a period of abnormally hot weather generally considered to be at least ''five consecutive days''. A heat wave is usually measured relative to the usual climate in the area and ...
hit central Chile, with temperatures 10 to 15 °C (18 to 27 °F) above the weekly average. Anticipating an increased wildfire risk, the Meteorological Directorate of Chile issued a heat alert on 28 January, projecting temperatures of in valleys and foothills of the central zone and on the coast of Valparaíso, O'Higgins, and Maule regions.


By region


Valparaíso Region

Thousands of people in the
Valparaíso Region The Valparaíso Region (, ) is one of Chile's 16 Regions of Chile, first order administrative divisions.Valparaíso Region, 2006 With the country's second-highest population of 1,790,219 , and fourth-smallest area of , the region is Chile's sec ...
, which have had the deadliest wildfires, were urged to evacuate by the authorities. At 3:25 on 2 February, a red alert was declared in
Valparaíso Province Valparaíso Province () is one of eight provinces of the central Chilean region of Valparaíso (V). Its capital is the coastal city of Valparaíso (pop. 275,982). Administration As a province, Valparaíso is a second-level administrative division ...
due to a fire that affected the Las Docas road, south of
Valparaíso Valparaíso () is a major city, Communes of Chile, commune, Port, seaport, and naval base facility in the Valparaíso Region of Chile. Valparaíso was originally named after Valparaíso de Arriba, in Castilla–La Mancha, Castile-La Mancha, Spain ...
. An hour later, it was announced that the fire affected of land. At 3:10 p.m., another set of fires was reported in the
Lago Peñuelas National Reserve Lago Peñuelas National Reserve is a national reserve of Chile.World Database on Protected Areas
, affecting . The fire was described as one of "rapid advance and high intensity", and caused the interruption of vehicular traffic on Routes 68 and F-718. Another fire was reported in Lo Moscoso at 3:54 p.m., affecting in the communes of Quilpué and Villa Alemana. At the same time, authorities placed the Marga Marga province on red alert. SENAPRED reported that the Lo Moscoso fire extended to at 5:15 p.m., and ordered the evacuation of the Quebrada Escobares and Fundo El Rincón sectors of Villa Alemana. By then, the fire in the Lago Peñuelas Reserve had affected . By 9:00 p.m., Los Andes,
Petorca Petorca is a Chilean town and commune located in the Petorca Province, Valparaíso Region. The commune spans an area of . Since 2010 Petorca has been affected by a long-term drought aggravated by poor water administration that have allowed lim ...
,
Quillota Quillota is a city located in the valley of the Aconcagua River in Valparaíso Region, Chile. It is the capital and largest city of Quillota Province. It is surrounded by the localities of San Isidro, La Palma, Pocochay, and San Pedro. It is ...
,
San Antonio San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...
and San Felipe de Aconcagua provinces were also placed on red alert. By 10:00 p.m. more than of land had been affected by the fires.


O'Higgins Region

On 31 January, authorities declared a Yellow Alert in response to active fires, including the "Maitén" fire in Navidad commune, which threatened homes and critical infrastructure, and the "La Aguada" fire in La Estrella commune. At 6:00 p.m., evacuations were ordered in La Patagüilla, La Aguada,
El Maitén El Maitén is a town in Argentina in Cushamen Department on the margins of the Chubut River, on the northwest of Chubut Province, in Patagonia. In older times it was the intermediate point in the railroad tracks of the Old Patagonian Express betw ...
, and San Rafael. On 2 February, Senapred called for urgent evacuation from San Miguel de Viluco and Pihuelo. By 2 February, the situation escalated significantly, leading Senapred to declare a Red Alert for the entire region, indicating greater severity of the fires and the need to mobilize all available resources for their suppression. Due to the severity of the forest fire in La Estrella, Senapred ordered the evacuation of the La Puntilla sector. At 2:00 p.m., evacuation orders were extended to other sectors of the commune. At 6:00 p.m., the evacuation of Pumanque commune was ordered. At 7:00 p.m., other sectors of La Estrella were ordered evacuated. By 6:00 p.m., it was reported that had been destroyed by the fires.


Maule Region

On 1 February, authorities issued a Yellow Alert for the communes of Pencahue and Curepto. This measure was taken in response to the "Hijuela 3 Las Palmas" fire, which at that time affected and represented an immediate threat to critical infrastructure, such as telecommunications antennas. The situation quickly escalated, leading to an alert update on 2 February, forcing Senapred to declare a Red Alert for Curepto, Pencahue and
Sagrada Familia Sagrada is a Spanish word meaning "sacred Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. T ...
. This decision was driven by the expansion of the "Hijuela 3 Las Palmas" fire to and its extreme behavior, which included the emission of sparks and proximity to populated areas, which represented a significant risk for local communities. During the same day, in response to the "Santa Laura" forest fire in the commune of
Curicó Curicó () is a city located in Chile's central valley and serves as the capital of the Curicó Province, which is part of the Maule Region. Positioned between the provinces of Colchagua and Talca, the region stretches from the Pacific Ocean ...
reported at 5:54 p.m. and which initially covered , Senapred declared a Yellow Alert for the commune. At 5:00 p.m, sectors of Curicó were ordered to evacuate. At 19:19, in response to the growth of the fire to , the Yellow Alert was upgraded to a Red Alert. This led to the mobilization all available resources for its control, including the additional deployment of CONAF brigades, aircraft and the participation of the
Carabineros de Chile The () are the Chilean national law enforcement gendarmerie, who have jurisdiction over the entire national territory of the Republic of Chile. Created in 1927, their mission is to maintain order and enforce the laws of Chile. They reported to ...
to assist in the evacuation of the affected areas. At 10:39 p.m., the "Santa Laura" fire was declared "controlled" after affecting , and prompted the downgrading of the Red Alert to Yellow by Senapred and CONAF, indicating that, although the immediate threat had been overcome, resources would remain on alert to respond to any change in conditions. At 10:50 p.m., a red alert was declared in the commune of Hualañé, affecting . The mobilization of resources in response to the Red Alert was considerable, including the participation of firefighters from several communes (
Talca Talca () is a city and commune in Chile located about south of Santiago, and is the capital of both Talca Province and Maule Region (7th Region of Chile). As of the 2012 census, the city had a population of 201,142. The city is an important ...
, Huaquén, Pencahue, Maule, San Javier and San Rafael), multiple CONAF brigades and private companies such as Celulosa Arauco, CMPC and Vista Hermosa, as well as the use of planes and helicopters from CONAF and Celulosa Arauco, among other land and technical resources.


Biobío Region

On 2 February at 2:19, a Red Alert was declared for the commune of Mulchén due to the "Mininco VIII" forest fire. This fire, which is being fought and has affected approximately , is characterized by its proximity to populated areas, extreme fire behavior, including flying sparks and erratic winds. Until that time, a brigade from the CONAF is working at the site. On 3 January at 8:48 p.m., the alert was canceled after the fire was declared under control.


Araucanía Region

On 3 February, authorities declared a Red Alert for the commune of
Galvarino Galvarino (died c. November 30, 1557) was a famous Mapuche warrior during majority of the early part of the Arauco War. He fought and was taken prisoner along with one hundred and fifty other Mapuche, in the Battle of Lagunillas against governor ...
in response to the "Colonia Suiza" and "Nilpe 4" forest fires. The "Colonia Suiza" fire affected 15 hectares while the "Nilpe 4" fire affected .


Los Lagos Region

On 26 January, a forest fire began in the
Los Lagos Region Los Lagos Region ( , 'Region of the Lakes') is one of regions of Chile, Chile's 16 regions, which are first order administrative divisions, and comprises four provinces: Chiloé Province, Chiloé, Llanquihue Province, Llanquihue, Osorno Provin ...
, which led authorities to declare a Yellow Alert after the "Camino San Antonio" fire was detected in
Puerto Montt Puerto Montt (Mapuche: Meli Pulli) is a port city and commune in southern Chile, located at the northern end of the Reloncaví Sound in the Llanquihue Province, Los Lagos Region, 1,055 km to the south of the capital, Santiago. The commune ...
, initially affecting . The situation quickly worsened, leading to the declaration of a Red Alert on the same day, at 8:36 p.m., in response to the growth of the fire to and its continued proximity to populated areas. This declaration mobilized an expanded set of resources, including CONAF brigades, firefighters from various locations, helicopters, and specialized machinery, to fight the fire effectively and protect the communities at risk. In the following days, the Red Alert was maintained, reflecting the persistent severity of the fire, which consumed and then increased to . During this period, preventive evacuations were carried out: on the morning of 28 January, 74 people were evacuated from 19 homes in the affected sectors, who returned to their homes in the afternoon of the same day. In addition, temporary shelters were set up and technical tables were held to coordinate the response to the fire. The operations included the active participation of firefighters, CONAF brigades, technicians, helicopters managed by both CONAF and Senapred, and the use of highway machinery and private resources. The joint effort between different entities allowed the fire to be fought with a combination of ground and air strategies, including the use of Hercules C-130 aircraft for extinguishing operations. In addition, attention was paid to the safety of brigade members and the well-being of those affected by the fire, with the implementation of evacuation measures and the provision of temporary accommodation for those displaced from their homes.


Casualties and damage

A total of 131 people were killed in the fires, of whom 35 have been identified so far. The Chilean Forensic Medical Service said many bodies were found to be in bad condition and difficult to identify, prompting them to take DNA samples from people with missing relatives. At least 45 of the dead were found at the scene, while six others died of burn injuries in medical facilities. At least 14,000 houses were affected by the fires in
Viña del Mar Viña del Mar (; meaning "Vineyard of the Sea") is a List of cities in Chile, city and Communes of Chile, commune on Zona Central, Chile, central Chile's Pacific coast. Often referred to as ("The Garden City"), Viña del Mar is located withi ...
and
Quilpué Quilpué is a city and capital of the Marga Marga Province in central Chile's Valparaíso Region. It is part of the Greater Valparaíso metropolitan area. It is widely known as "City of the Sun" () and the urban part of it also comprises the ...
. Over 370 people were reported missing in the Viña del Mar area alone, while 1,600 others were displaced by the fires. The fires were regarded as the deadliest in Chile's history, and the deadliest disaster in the country since the
2010 Chile earthquake The 2010 Chile earthquake and tsunami () occurred off the coast of central Chile on Saturday, 27 February at 03:34:12 local time (06:34:12 UTC), having a magnitude of 8.8 on the moment magnitude scale, with intense shaking lasting for about ...
. In Valparaíso, four hospitals and three nursing homes were evacuated, and two bus terminals were destroyed. In
Viña del Mar Viña del Mar (; meaning "Vineyard of the Sea") is a List of cities in Chile, city and Communes of Chile, commune on Zona Central, Chile, central Chile's Pacific coast. Often referred to as ("The Garden City"), Viña del Mar is located withi ...
, the city's botanical garden, which was founded in 1931, was destroyed by the fires, killing an employee and three of her relatives. President
Gabriel Boric Gabriel Boric Font (; born 11 February 1986) is a Chilean politician and the President of Chile since 2022. He previously served two four-year terms as a deputy in the Chamber of Deputies of Chile, Chamber of Deputies. Boric first gained prom ...
said the death toll was likely to rise.


Response

The fires prompted the deployment of 31 firefighting aircraft and 1,400 firefighters, along with 1,300 military personnel, to aid in the emergency response. President
Gabriel Boric Gabriel Boric Font (; born 11 February 1986) is a Chilean politician and the President of Chile since 2022. He previously served two four-year terms as a deputy in the Chamber of Deputies of Chile, Chamber of Deputies. Boric first gained prom ...
ordered the deployment of more military units to help tackle the fires and urged citizens to cooperate with emergency teams. Additionally, a curfew was implemented in
Viña del Mar Viña del Mar (; meaning "Vineyard of the Sea") is a List of cities in Chile, city and Communes of Chile, commune on Zona Central, Chile, central Chile's Pacific coast. Often referred to as ("The Garden City"), Viña del Mar is located withi ...
, Limache,
Quilpué Quilpué is a city and capital of the Marga Marga Province in central Chile's Valparaíso Region. It is part of the Greater Valparaíso metropolitan area. It is widely known as "City of the Sun" () and the urban part of it also comprises the ...
, and Villa Alemana beginning at 09:00 pm on 3 February to facilitate the movement of emergency vehicles. Authorities ordered a ban on handling fire and other heat-producing machines in Valparaíso and Marga Marga provinces. A state of emergency was declared on 3 February, while Boric declared two days of national mourning. On 3 February, Boric went in a flyover over the affected areas before visiting a school that had been converted into a shelter for those displaced by the fires. He also ordered the conversion of the official presidential summer residence, the
Palace of Cerro Castillo The Palace of Cerro Castillo (Spanish: ''Palacio de Cerro Castillo'') is the official country retreat and summer residence of the President of Chile. Built in 1929 in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, it is situated atop Cerro Castillo hill loca ...
, in Viña del Mar, into a temporary leisure center for affected children and the donation of furniture that had been used in the
2023 Pan American Games The 2023 Pan American Games (), officially the XIX Pan American Games () and commonly known as Santiago 2023, were an international multi-sport event governed by the Panam Sports Organization, held in Santiago, Chile from 20 October to 5 Novem ...
, as well as the forgiveness of the water bills of 9,200 households. The
health ministry A health department or health ministry is a part of government which focuses on issues related to the general health of the citizenry. Subnational entity, Subnational entities, such as State (administrative division), states, county, counties an ...
issued a health alert over Valparaiso Region and ordered the suspension of elective surgeries. It also authorized the establishment of field hospitals and announced the hiring of medical students nearing the end of their studies to augment medical responders. On 24 May 2024, following an investigation by the Investigative Police, Francisco Mondaca Mella (22), a volunteer of the 13th Fire Company of Valparaíso, and Franco Pinto Orellana (31), a brigade member of the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF), were arrested. They were identified as the perpetrators of the fire, and later on 9 September, Elías Salazar Inostroza (39), a firefighter from the same company as Mondaca and also from the National Service for the Prevention and Response to Disasters (SENAPRED), was also arrested, classified as the intellectual author of the tragedy, all three are in preventive detention until the trial set for 30 October. On their phones, multiple evidences were found linking them to the same locations where the fires occurred (among them, several private text messages and GPS locations).


Reactions

The Viña del Mar Festival canceled its opening gala in mourning for the victims. Some participants such as
Alejandro Sanz Alejandro Sánchez Pizarro, better known as Alejandro Sanz (; born 18 December 1968), is a Spanish musician, singer and composer. He has won 22 Latin Grammy Awards and four Grammy Awards. He has received the Latin Grammy for Latin Grammy Award ...
, Pablo Alborán and
Maná Maná () is a Mexican pop rock band formed in 1981. Originally called Sombrero Verde, the current lineup of members is vocalist-guitarist Fher Olvera, drummer Alex González (musician), Alex González, guitarist Sergio Vallín and bassist Juan ...
sent messages of solidarity and announced donations. The
government of Mexico The Federal government of Mexico (alternately known as the Government of the Republic or ' or ') is the national government of the Mexico, United Mexican States, the central government established by its constitution to share sovereignty over the ...
sent a team of 30 firefighters from the National Forestry Commission and 127
Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
and
Air Force An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...
personnel, together with 26 tons of food supplies. US President
Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
said that Washington "is in contact with our Chilean partners" and "is ready to provide necessary assistance to the Chilean people".
Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...
called for prayers for the "dead and wounded in the devastating fires in Chile". The United Nations offered condolences and announced assistance.


See also

* 2023 Chile wildfires * 2023–2024 South American drought * 2024 Argentina wildfires * 2024 Brazil wildfires * 2024 Peru wildfires * 2024 South American wildfires * Wildfires in 2024


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Chile wildfires, 2024 2024 wildfires
Wildfires A wildfire, forest fire, or a bushfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identified as a ...
2020s fires in South America
Wildfires A wildfire, forest fire, or a bushfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identified as a ...
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Presidency of Gabriel Boric