An alarming scientific analysis has concluded that the ferocious wildfires that raged across southern Chile and Argentina’s Patagonia region in January were significantly intensified by human-induced climate change, linking rising global temperatures to some of the most destructive blazes seen in recent memory and putting parts of the planet’s oldest forests at grave risk.
Researchers from the World Weather Attribution (WWA) consortium, who specialize in rapid assessments of extreme weather events, found that unusually hot, dry, and windy conditions that fueled the fires were made about two and a half to three times more likely because of global heating driven by the burning of fossil fuels. That climate influence, the scientists say, turned what might have been a severe fire season into an unprecedented conflagration.
In Chile’s south-central regions, including Biobío and Ñuble, the wildfires reached catastrophic proportions in mid-January. Temperatures soared above 37°C as prolonged drought and strong winds pushed the flames across vast areas of forest and grassland. The intensity of the fires forced authorities to declare a “state of catastrophe” in affected zones, where at least 23 people lost their lives and more than 1,000 homes were destroyed. Tens of thousands of residents were displaced as the infernos sped through towns and countryside alike, obliterating communities and upending lives.
Across the Andes in Argentina, fires ignited in early January and spread through the Patagonian wilderness, consuming more than 45,000 hectares of native forests and grasslands. The blazes encroached on Los Alerces National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its ancient alerce trees, some of which are estimated to be more than 3,000 years old. These giant conifers, revered as some of the oldest living trees on Earth, have been threatened as flames tore through parts of their habitat, raising concerns about irreversible ecological loss.
The WWA report highlights that both regions experienced significantly reduced rainfall in the months preceding the fires — around 20–25% below what would be expected in a cooler climate — combined with record-breaking heat, which left vegetation tinder-dry and primed to burn. Adding fuel to the fire, large plantations of non-native pine and eucalyptus trees in both countries, which are more flammable than indigenous species, helped the blazes spread faster and more destructively.
Experts also pointed to policy decisions that may have exacerbated the crisis. In Argentina, budget cuts to fire management services under the current government have hampered prevention and response efforts, critics say, leaving firefighters under-resourced at a time when extreme fire weather is becoming more common. Meanwhile, in Chile authorities have been forced to mobilize large numbers of emergency personnel to protect towns and infrastructure from advancing flames.
Scientists warn that these conditions — hotter temperatures, more prolonged droughts, and more frequent fire weather — are likely to become increasingly common as the planet warms further, driven by continued emissions of greenhouse gases. Without urgent action to curb fossil fuel use and implement effective land management and fire mitigation strategies, regions like Patagonia could see more frequent and severe fire events, with deep impacts on biodiversity, human communities, and some of the world’s most ancient ecosystems.
The study’s findings add to a growing body of evidence demonstrating the tangible influence of climate change on extreme weather events globally and underline the urgency of strengthening both climate policy and local resilience measures in fire-prone regions.
