The CEDIM – Center for Disaster Management and Risk Reduction Technology has published a new forensic disaster report on the landscape fires in south-central Chile in January 2026. The report analyzes the fires in the regions of Biobío, Ñuble, and La Araucanía, which broke out despite prior warnings of exceptionally high temperatures between 16 and 18 January.
According to official figures, around 40,000 hectares were affected between 17 and 21 January. More than 2,000 houses were destroyed, over 20,000 people were displaced, and 21 people lost their lives. The municipality of Penco, located east of the Concepción metropolitan area, was particularly affected, where the largest contiguous fires occurred.
The report highlights that these events were not remarkable due to their overall burned area, but rather because of their location at the interface between wildland and urban areas, which led to comparatively high impacts on the population. The fires thus fit into a series of comparable events in Chile’s recent history, where similar spatial constellations have resulted in severe consequences.
The report is part of CEDIM’s forensic disaster analyses and demonstrates how detailed post-event assessments can help to better understand risk drivers and further develop targeted risk reduction and preparedness measures.
The full report can be found here.
(Image source: Pixabay)