Dozens of fires rage in southern Chile

Dozens of fires fueled by strong winds raged across southern Chile Monday, destroying thousands of hectares of forest and farmland and damaging several homes, according to authorities.

"We are facing a very complex situation and all material resources as well as all brigades have been mobilized to combat these fires," Interior Minister Alvaro Elizalde told reporters in Santiago.

The regions of Nuble, Biobio, Araucania and Los Rios were affected by the fires, which started Sunday afternoon and spread rapidly due to strong winds. Authorities have not reported deaths or injuries.

"I have asked that the entire government be mobilized... and that we stand with the affected people and their families," President Gabriel Boric said at an event in Punta Arenas. He said about 100 people had to be given temporary housing as firefighters battled 27 different blazes.

The forest service and the National Disaster Prevention Service (Senapred) reported more than 4,000 hectares going up in flames.

In recent years, Chile has been hit by massive fires during the southern summer, affecting both forested and urban areas. In February 2024, several fires developed simultaneously around the city of Vina del Mar, northwest of Santiago, causing 137 deaths and razing entire neighborhoods in Chile's deadliest inferno in recent history.