Luis Cordero

Force in Play

Leading law enforcement response to arson investigation

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.

Updated Jan 29