Photo credit: @ronaldverallanos
Chile Fire
Wildfires in south-central Chile have destroyed wineries and scorched vineyards in a disaster that has left more than 20 people dead.
The runaway wildfire event is similar to some that occurred in British Columbia in 2021, as an extreme weather event drove temperatures to a record 40-degrees Celsius.
The wine regions of Araucanía, Biobío and Ñuble have declared a state of emergency as hundreds of homes were destroyed, affecting more than 1,500 people.
As in BC, climate change has been causing more extreme wildfire behaviour in Chile. In 2017, the nation suffered a similar disaster that left more than 100 vineyards in ruins. The current wildfire has already burned up 40,000 hectares of land. Historic wineries like Leoncio Wines and Altos de Valle were destroyed.
In an interview with Decanter, the UK director at Wines of Chile said, “It’s an incredibly sad and concerning situation and our thoughts are with everyone in the regions that are affected by the fires.
“These regions are the home of Chile’s traditional viticulture and where the oldest vines are located that produce very distinctive wines, made mainly by boutique wineries and growers. We are monitoring the situation closely as reports of those impacted in the region are increasing.”
The Chilean government says the fires were made worse by the impact of global warming, and called the disaster a “wake-up call.”
“Chile is one of the countries with the highest vulnerability to climate change, and this isn’t theory but rather practical experience,’ said Interior Minister Carolina Tohá.