Less than a year after wildfires killed 138 people near Viña del Mar, Chile is burning again. Since January 16, fires across the Biobío and Ñuble regions have killed at least 21 people, destroyed over 2,359 homes, and forced more than 50,000 to evacuate. The blazes consumed 45,700 hectares (176 square miles)—already far surpassing the area burned in the 2024 Viña del Mar disaster. President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe, imposed a nighttime curfew, and on January 23 decreed two days of national mourning.
International aid continues flowing in. Uruguay deployed 40 firefighters aboard a military C-130 on January 22, joining 145 Mexican firefighters who arrived in Concepción that same day, alongside crews from Argentina, Brazil, Spain, and the United States. Chilean police arrested a 39-year-old suspect accused of using liquid accelerants to start the Trinitarias fire—echoing the 2024 disaster where first responders were charged with arson. On January 23, a court extended the suspect's detention through January 26 for formal charges. Meanwhile, civilian drones forced suspension of firefighting aircraft operations near the town of Florida, hampering containment efforts.
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People Involved
Gabriel Boric
President of Chile (Leading emergency response)
Yamandú Orsi
President of Uruguay (Authorized firefighter deployment to Chile)
Luis Cordero
Chilean Security Minister (Leading law enforcement response to arson investigation)
Organizations Involved
CO
CONAF (National Forestry Corporation)
Government Agency
Status: Coordinating firefighting operations
Chile's forestry agency responsible for wildfire prevention, detection, and suppression across the country.
UR
Uruguayan Air Force
Military Branch
Status: Transporting firefighters to Chile
Deployed a Hercules C-130 aircraft to transport 40 Uruguayan firefighters to Chile.
Timeline
NASA Satellite Confirms Fires Still Burning
Impact Assessment
NASA MODIS satellite imagery shows multiple active fire fronts across Biobío and Ñuble regions. Total burned area reaches 51,986 hectares (126,480 acres)—14% increase from previous assessments.
Court Orders Pretrial Detention for Arson Suspect
Investigation
Guarantee Court of Concepción formally orders pretrial detention through January 26. Prosecution alleges fire started from faulty wood-burning stove, not deliberate accelerant use as initially reported. 110 additional people arrested for interfering with firefighting operations.
Court Extends Arson Suspect's Detention
Investigation
Guarantee Court of Concepción extends pretrial detention through January 26 for formal charges. Suspect identified as 39-year-old man with prior police records. Forestry company video evidence links suspect to Trinitarias fire.
Boric Declares Two Days of National Mourning
Government Response
President Boric decrees national mourning for Thursday and Friday in memory of 21 people killed. CONAF reports 47 active fires nationwide, 17 classified as megafires.
Civilian Drones Force Aircraft Suspension
Operational Challenge
Unauthorized civilian drones near Florida force suspension of firefighting aircraft operations. National Forestry Corporation reiterates drone prohibition during firefighting. Drones believed operated by journalists and hobbyists filming aerial footage.
Uruguayan Firefighters Deploy
International Response
40 Uruguayan firefighters depart for Chile on seven-day mission through January 31. Death toll rises to at least 21. Cooling temperatures aid containment efforts.
Mexican Firefighting Contingent Arrives
International Response
145 Mexican firefighters land at Concepción airport, joining international response efforts alongside Uruguayan, Brazilian, Argentine, Spanish, and U.S. crews.
Damage Assessment Shows 2,359 Homes Destroyed
Impact Assessment
Updated government assessment reveals 2,359 homes destroyed—four times initial estimates. Total area burned reaches 45,700 hectares (176 square miles), already exceeding 2024 Viña del Mar fire.
Arson Suspect Arrested
Investigation
Chilean police arrest suspect accused of using liquid accelerants to start fires. Authorities seize five liters of fuel and containers of accelerant in Concepción.
Uruguay Announces Firefighter Deployment
International Response
President Yamandú Orsi confirms Uruguay will send 40 firefighters aboard an Air Force C-130 in response to Chile's formal humanitarian aid request.
Death Toll Reaches 20
Casualty Update
Officials confirm 20th death. Interior Minister Álvaro Elizalde reports 536 homes destroyed, warns extreme temperatures hampering containment.
International Aid Offers Arrive
International Response
Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, and Spain offer firefighters and equipment. France announces 80 firefighters in transit. President Boric thanks international partners.
Boric and Kast Appear Together
Political
President Boric and president-elect José Antonio Kast make joint appearance from La Moneda urging public responsibility—an unusual show of political unity.
Boric Declares State of Catastrophe
Government Response
President Gabriel Boric declares a state of catastrophe for Biobío and Ñuble regions, enabling military deployment and international aid coordination. Nighttime curfew imposed.
Death Toll Reaches 19
Casualty Update
Officials confirm 19 deaths—18 in Biobío, one in Ñuble. Over 50,000 people evacuated. At least 325 structures destroyed.
Death Toll Climbs, Evacuations Begin
Escalation
Fires spread rapidly through coastal towns including Lirquén and Penco. Authorities order mass evacuations as death toll rises to 15.
Wildfires Ignite Across Biobío and Ñuble
Incident
Multiple fires break out across Chile's south-central regions amid extreme heat, strong winds, and drought conditions. Temperatures exceed 38°C (100°F).
Scenarios
1
Fires Contained Within Days, Recovery Begins
Discussed by: Chilean forestry officials, international fire experts
Dropping temperatures and reduced winds allow firefighters to establish control lines around remaining blazes. Death toll stabilizes below 30. Government focuses on housing displaced residents and compensating victims ($700-$1,500 per household as announced). International crews return home by early February.
2
Second Wave of Fires Extends Crisis Into February
Discussed by: Climate researchers at CR2 (Center for Climate and Resilience Research), meteorologists
Another heat wave or wind event reignites contained fires or sparks new ones before seasonal rains arrive. Death toll exceeds 50, matching or surpassing the 2017 megafire season. Political pressure mounts on Boric administration over emergency preparedness.
3
Arson Investigation Reveals Organized Activity
Discussed by: Security Minister Luis Cordero, Chilean prosecutors
Investigation into the arrested suspect and additional accelerant discoveries leads to charges against multiple individuals. If pattern resembles 2024—where firefighters and forestry workers were charged—it would deepen public distrust of the very agencies tasked with fire prevention.
Back-to-back catastrophic fire seasons (2024 and 2026) generate political will to reform Decree Law 701, the 1974 law that subsidized pine and eucalyptus plantations. CONAF's pilot programs converting plantations to native forests scale up significantly. Forestry companies resist but face growing pressure.
Historical Context
Viña del Mar Wildfires (2024)
February 2024
What Happened
Wildfires erupted in the Valparaíso region northwest of Santiago during extreme summer heat. Flames descended from hillside wilderness into residential neighborhoods of Viña del Mar and Quilpué, killing 138 people—Chile's deadliest wildfire disaster on record and the fifth-deadliest fire globally since 1900.
Outcome
Short Term
Over 14,000 buildings damaged or destroyed. Two days of national mourning declared. 31 firefighting aircraft and 2,700 personnel deployed.
Long Term
Investigation led to arrests: a volunteer firefighter and a forestry brigade member were detained in May 2024. By July 2025, nine individuals faced charges including conspiracy and environmental damage.
Why It's Relevant Today
The current Biobío fires come less than a year after Viña del Mar, raising questions about whether Chile has improved its fire prevention and response. The arson arrest echoes the 2024 case where first responders allegedly started the blaze.
Chile Megafires (2017)
January-February 2017
What Happened
Nearly 600,000 hectares burned across central Chile—the largest area in a single season since records began in the 1960s. The town of Santa Olga was destroyed. Eleven people died, including five firefighters. Over 20,000 personnel from more than a dozen countries joined the response.
Outcome
Short Term
Four fires exceeded 40,000 hectares each. Estimated 30 megatonnes of CO₂ released—8% of global fire emissions that month.
Long Term
Sparked debate over Chile's forestry model. Researchers documented that over 80% of megafires since 2010 occurred in regions dominated by pine and eucalyptus plantations.
Why It's Relevant Today
The 2017 disaster established the link between Chile's industrial forestry model and catastrophic fire risk. The same conditions—plantation-dominated landscapes, drought, extreme heat—are present in the 2026 fires.
Australia Black Summer (2019-2020)
September 2019-February 2020
What Happened
Bushfires burned over 17 million hectares across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and other states. 33 people died, including nine firefighters. Over 3,000 homes destroyed. International firefighters arrived from the US, Canada, New Zealand, and others—the first Canadian deployment to Australia since 2009.
Outcome
Short Term
Australia established a $2 billion National Bushfire Recovery Fund. Approximately 8,000 Australian Defence Force personnel deployed for evacuations and supply delivery.
Long Term
Royal Commission recommended improved national coordination and international resource-sharing frameworks for future fire emergencies.
Why It's Relevant Today
Black Summer demonstrated the model for international firefighter mutual aid that Chile is now activating. Uruguay's C-130 deployment follows the same playbook of cross-border emergency cooperation that helped Australia in 2020.
