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Chilean President Gabriel Boric has declared a state of catastrophe in two regions where deadly wildfires have left at least 18 people dead.<\/p>\n
More than 50,000 people have also been evacuated in the \u00d1uble and Biob\u00edo regions, about 500km (300 miles) south of the capital Santiago. <\/p>\n
Boric said the death toll was expected to increase.<\/p>\n
The most dangerous fire has swept through dry forests bordering the coastal city of Concepci\u00f3n. About 250 homes have been destroyed, disaster officials said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Local media have shown pictures of charred cars in the streets.<\/p>\n
Chile’s forestry agency, Conaf, said firefighters were battling 24 fires across the country on Sunday. The most threatening, it added, were in \u00d1uble and Biob\u00edo.<\/p>\n
The fires have burnt through 8,500 hectares (21,000 acres) in the two regions so far.<\/p>\n
“In light of the serious ongoing wildfires, I have decided to declare a state of catastrophe” in the two regions, Boric said in a post on X.<\/p>\n
“All resources are available,” he added.<\/p>\n
Under a state of catastrophe, Chile’s armed forces can be deployed to help.<\/p>\n
The bulk of the evacuations were carried out in the cities of Penco and Lirquen, just north of Concepci\u00f3n, which have a combined population of 60,000.<\/p>\n
Strong winds have fanned the flames, exacerbated by high summer temperatures, endangering communities and hampering firefighting efforts.<\/p>\n
Much of Chile is under heat alerts, with temperatures expected to reach 38C between Santiago and Biob\u00edo in the coming days.<\/p>\n
Chile has experienced a series of devastating fires in recent years, worsened by long-term drought.<\/p>\n