Chile declared a State of Catastrophe in Ñuble and Bío Bío as major wildfires spread, prompting evacuations and the full deployment of emergency resources

Chile has declared a State of Catastrophe in the southern regions of Ñuble and Bío Bío as large-scale forest fires continue to advance, authorities announced on Sunday.

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President Gabriel Boric confirmed the decision through his X account, citing the severity of the emergency. “In view of the serious fires underway, I have decided to declare a state of catastrophe in the regions of Ñuble and Bío Bío. All resources are available,” the president wrote.

The measure was also confirmed at the local level. Rodrigo Vera, mayor of the municipality of Penco in the Bío Bío region, said the decision followed consultations with Interior Minister Álvaro Elizalde. He added that Deputy Interior Minister Víctor Ramos was expected to arrive in the affected area in the coming hours.

According to Chile’s National Forestry Corporation, as of 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, Ñuble and Bío Bío were the regions most impacted by the fires. Ñuble remains under a regional Red Alert, with more than 4,700 hectares affected. In Bío Bío, the fires known as “Trinitarias” and “Rancho Chico,” located in the municipality of Concepción, have already burned more than 2,900 hectares.

Local authorities have implemented preventive evacuations and reinforced the deployment of resources to address the emergency, as conditions have favored the rapid spread of the flames.

The scale of the situation has been reflected in images shared by residents on social media, showing large columns of smoke, skies covered in reddish tones, and the fast expansion of the fires.

Amid ongoing firefighting efforts, the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service reiterated its call for the population to remain informed, act calmly, and comply with instructions issued by authorities and emergency teams.

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