Wildfires Consume 20,000 Hectares in Chile, Threatening Historic Wine Valleys and Forcing Mass Evacuations

Wildfires are spreading rapidly through Chile’s Itata and Bio Bio valleys, putting the country’s historic wine regions at risk. The fires, driven by extreme heat and strong winds, have prompted President Gabriel Boric to declare a national state of catastrophe. As of Monday, officials report at least 19 deaths and the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents, with some estimates placing the number above 50,000. The most severe damage has occurred near Penco and Lirquén, close to Concepcion, Chile’s second-largest city. Large areas of housing and forestland have been destroyed.

Chile’s National Forest Corporation (CONAF) reports that more than 20,000 hectares have already burned. Firefighters are working to contain over 20 active fires across the affected regions. Esteban Krause, CONAF’s regional director, described the situation as “completely out of control.” Voluntary firefighters and local authorities are battling the blazes as communities brace for further losses.

Vineyards in the Itata and Bio Bio valleys are on high alert. Some small holdings in Ranquil and Ñipas in Itata have already reported damage. Many producers spent the weekend preparing water tanks and hoses to defend their vineyards, homes, and wineries if the fires advance. The region is still recovering from the devastating wildfires of February 2023, which destroyed over 430,000 hectares across Itata, Maule, and Bio Bio. That disaster wiped out several wineries and many vineyards, with additional losses from smoke taint affecting grape sales for months afterward.

Local winemakers say that the crisis is closely linked to the landscape surrounding their vineyards. Extensive plantations of pine and eucalyptus trees—monocultures that burn easily—have replaced native forests over recent decades. These plantations were encouraged by a law introduced in 1974 that provided subsidies for expanding forest plantations. Critics argue that these policies have made rural communities more vulnerable to wildfires.

Roberto Henríquez, a winemaker in Itata and Bio Bio, said that monoculture forestry has brought “poverty for many, and wealth for very few.” He called for an end to new pine and eucalyptus plantations in the region. Zjos Vlaminck, owner of A los Viñateros Bravos in Itata, lost vines in last year’s fires. He said that while climate change is often cited as a cause of wildfires, the destruction of natural ecosystems by forestry plantations is a key factor behind the scale of recent disasters.

As firefighters continue their efforts on the ground, vineyard owners are monitoring weather forecasts closely. Many hope that a shift in wind or a drop in temperature will help slow the spread of the fires. For now, communities across central-southern Chile remain on edge as they wait for relief from one of the worst wildfire outbreaks in recent years.