Wildfires have erupted in two regions of southern Chile, killing at least 19 people and displacing 20,000.
As of early morning this January 19, firefighters are still battling 23 fires in the regions of Ñuble and Bio Bío. Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared a “state of catastrophe” for the two regions affected by the “megafire,” which burned 25,000 hectares of land and destroyed at least 325 buildings.
According to Interior Security Minister Luis Cordero, the fire, while massive, was comparable to those in 2017, 2023, and 2024.
Indeed, the intensity and destruction of wildfires around the world have grown exponentially in recent years. Each year brings more devastating disasters, setting new records across many countries. Click through the following gallery to learn more about some of the most catastrophic fires in recent history.