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At least 18 people have died as wildfires continue to tear through central and southern Chile, destroying large swathes of forest and hundreds of homes amid an intense heatwave, authorities said.

President Gabriel Boric has declared a state of catastrophe in the central Biobío region and the neighbouring Ñuble region, located about 500km south of the capital, Santiago. The measure enables enhanced coordination with the military to tackle roughly two dozen active fires.

According to Chile’s security minister, Luis Cordero, the blazes have already burned around 8,500 hectares of land and forced nearly 50,000 residents to flee their homes. However, local leaders said communities were left without timely support as the fires spread rapidly.

Rodrigo Vera, the mayor of the coastal town of Penco in Biobío, criticised the lack of immediate government response. “I’ve been here for four hours while an entire community is burning and there is no state presence,” he said, questioning delays in deploying military assistance.

Firefighting efforts were severely hindered by strong winds and extreme temperatures, which climbed above 38°C on Sunday. Residents said the fires erupted suddenly after midnight, catching many off guard and leaving little time to escape.

“People thought the flames would stop at the forest’s edge, so they stayed,” said John Guzmán, 55, in Penco, where thick smoke turned the sky orange. “It quickly spiralled out of control.”

While the nationwide toll of destroyed homes is still being assessed, officials in the Concepción municipality reported at least 253 houses reduced to ashes. In Penco, the fires consumed large parts of the town, burning vehicles, a school and a church.

Juan Lagos, 52, described fleeing in darkness with his children as the flames closed in. Others spoke of scenes of devastation, with bodies found in fields, homes, vehicles and along roads.

Víctor Burboa, 54, said many victims were known within the tight-knit community. “These were people we lived with,” he said.

Matías Cid, a 25-year-old student from Penco, said the fires moved with terrifying speed. “We escaped with only the clothes we were wearing. If we had stayed 20 minutes longer, we wouldn’t have survived,” he told AFP.

Nearly all of the deaths reported so far occurred in Penco, according to Mayor Vera. The nearby port town of Lirquén was also badly affected, with residents fleeing to the beach to save themselves.

“There is nothing left,” said local resident Alejandro Arredondo, 57, as he looked over the scorched remains of what had once been homes.

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