00:00Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe in two southern regions on Sunday as wildfires forced at least 20,000 people to evacuate and left 18 dead.
00:15Firefighters were battling 24 active fires across the country as of Sunday morning, with the largest in Nubal and Biobio.
00:22Fires have burned nearly 8,500 hectares in both regions, threatening multiple communities and prompting evacuation orders.
00:32Chile's Cenopred Disaster Agency said nearly 20,000 people have been evacuated and at least 250 homes destroyed.
00:41Authorities said strong winds and high temperatures helped the wildfires spread, making it difficult for firefighters to contain them.
00:48Much of Chile was under extreme heat alerts, with temperatures expected to reach 38 Celsius from Santiago to Biobio on Monday.
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