Wildfires scorch more than 30,000 hectares in Chile’s Biobío and Ñuble regions

Wildland fires burned more than 30,000 hectares in Chile’s Biobío and Ñuble regions in mid-January 2026, forcing large-scale evacuations amid hot, dry conditions, according to Chile’s National Forestry Corporation.

Satellite imagery from NASA’s Terra (MODIS) on January 18 showed smoke from multiple fires. Dozens of active blazes prompted the evacuation of about 50,000 people and destroyed more than 300 homes, the Chile U.N. Resident Coordinator’s Office reported on January 19, and aerial and ground photographs showed charred neighborhoods in Concepción. News reports said gusty winds and temperatures exceeding 38 degrees Celsius hampered firefighting.

Chile’s president declared a state of catastrophe in Biobío and Ñuble, a measure the government said would allow more resources to fight the fires and assist affected communities. The region’s fires occurred amid a wider pattern of hot, dry conditions across parts of South America during the 2025–2026 summer; firefighters were also battling blazes about 650 kilometers south of Concepción in and around Argentina’s Los Alerces National Park.

Key Topics

World, Chile Wildfires, Biobio Region, Nuble Region, Concepcion, National Forestry Corporation