Forest Fire (27577 ha) in Chile 17 Jan 2026

Event summary

Forest fire can have a medium humanitarian impact based on the burned area and the affected population and their vulnerability.

GDACS ID WF 1027016
Glide number: WF-2026-000003-CHL
Countries: Chile
Start Date - Last detection*: 17 Jan 2026 - 25 Jan 2026
Duration (days): 8
People affected: 20349 in the burned area
Burned area: 27577 ha
More Info: Global Wildfire Information System

*(Last detection of the thermal anomaly of the fire)

GDACS Score

For more info on GDACS alert score click here.
Virtual OSOCC
Meteo assessment
Satellite products
Analytical products
Forest fire in Chile - EC/ECHO daily mapTue, 20 Jan 2026 17:59

A new EC/ECHO daily map is now available
Chile – Wildfire (ECHO 26 Jan 2026)Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:44

  • Since 1 January, a series of wildfires have been raging across central Chile, causing an escalating death toll and widespread destruction. The most affected regions are La Araucanía, Biobío, Maule, Metropolitana, and Ñuble.
  • Between 1 and 21 January, the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF) recorded 17 active fires, and the total area burned surpassed 61 000 hectares.
  • As of 20 January, national authorities reported at least 20 fatalities, more than 7 000 people affected, and 590 homes destroyed.
  • According to the JRC Global Wildfire Information System (GWIS), fire-danger levels are forecast to range from high to very extreme across the Biobío, Ñuble, La Araucanía, Maule, and Metropolitana regions.
  • On 20 January, the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) was activated at the request of the Chilean authorities. The request concerns the deployment of a Fire Assistance Support Team (FAST), including aerial coordinators, analysts, and planning professionals, to strengthen coordination and strategic planning capacities.
  • On 21 January, the Copernicus EMS was activated in rapid mapping mode ().
Forest fire in Chile - Copernicus EMS activationWed, 21 Jan 2026 17:08

[EMSR859] Wildfires in the Biobio and Nuble Regions, Chile
Forest fire in Chile - Copernicus EMS activationThu, 22 Jan 2026 10:45

[EMSR859] Wildfires in the Biobio and Nuble Regions, Chile
Forest fire in Chile - Copernicus EMS activationFri, 23 Jan 2026 00:55

[EMSR859] Wildfires in the Biobio and Nuble Regions, Chile
Forest fire in Chile - Copernicus EMS activationSat, 24 Jan 2026 09:21

[EMSR859] Wildfires in the Biobio and Nuble Regions, Chile
Forest fire in Chile - Copernicus EMS activationSun, 25 Jan 2026 03:15

[EMSR859] Wildfires in the Biobio and Nuble Regions, Chile
Forest fire in Chile - Copernicus EMS activationMon, 26 Jan 2026 03:58

[EMSR859] Wildfires in the Biobio and Nuble Regions, Chile
Chile - Wildfires, update (ECHO 02 Feb 2026)Wed, 28 Jan 2026 11:36

  • Since 1 January, several wildfires have been affecting central Chile, causing an increasing humanitarian impact and widespread damage.
  • According to the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF), as of 28 January, the most affected regions are Biobío, Ñuble (these two are the worst affected), La Araucanía, Metropolitan Santiago and Maule. The total burnt area across the aforementioned regions reached more than 52 300 ha, with Biobío alone with over 32 100 ha. CONAF also reports six major active fires currently under control.
  • The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reports 23 fatalities, 333 injured people, nearly 52 200 displaced people and approximately 21 700 affected people across the affected area. In addition, the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (SENAPRED) reports 11 active shelters across the Biobío and Ñuble regions for a number of displaced people.
  • Over the next 48 hours, according to the JRC Global Wildfire Information System (GWIS), the fire danger forecast is from high to extreme across the affected regions.
Forest fire in Chile - EC/ECHO daily mapWed, 28 Jan 2026 17:17

A new EC/ECHO daily map is now available
Chile - Wildfires, update (ECHO 24 Jan 2026)Mon, 19 Jan 2026 10:20

  • Since 1 January, several wildfires have been affecting central Chile, resulting in fatalities and destruction. The most affected regions are La Araucanía, Biobío, Maule, Metropolitana and Ñuble.
  • From 1 to 19 January, the National Forestry Corporation (CONAF), counts 793 fires that have already burnt more than 49 922 hectares. As of 19 January, 25 fires are actively being fought, 35 have been brought under control, eight remain under observation, and three have been extinguished.
  • As of 19 January, media report at least 18 fatalities, 19 injuries, and more than 50 000 people evacuated in the Ñuble and Biobío regions. About 250 houses have been destroyed.
  • On 18 January, the government of Chile declared a state of catastrophe for Ñuble and Biobío.
  • Over the next 48 hours, according to the JRC Global Wildfire Information System (GWIS), the fire danger forecast will be from high to very extreme over Biobío and Ñuble regions, and from high to extreme over La Araucanía, Maule, and Metropolitana regions.
Detailed event map. European Union, 2026. Map produced by EC-JRC.
The boundaries and the names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the European Union.

Updates on volcanic activity (Smithsonian)

Latest media headlines

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En Estado de Emergencia ético 1/27/2026 1:47:00 PM.

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Chile battles the blaze 1/27/2026 12:33:00 AM.

Forest fires sweep across towns, leaving destruction in their wake and families displaced. 1. Firefighters battling a forest fire in Chile’s Biobio region, where multiple wildfires have forced emergency evacuations. — Reuters. 2. Firefighte
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Estimated casualties (PAGER)

USGS estimates the number of casualties for each earthquake for the Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) product.
The graph shows the current fatalities estimate.

Exposed population

Data, images, links, services and documents

For this events, GDACS has links to information from the following sources: EC-JRC (28), DesInventar (1), WMO (1), INFORM (2), JRC (1), (1),