Chile fire destruction laid bare in before and after images

Jan 20, 2026 - 08:00
Chile fire destruction laid bare in before and after images
A combination of satellite images shows a close view of houses before and after being hit by the wildfires, in Penco, Chile, on January 17, 2026, and January 19, 2026.

Wildfires in Chile have killed at least 19 people, officials said Monday, with tens of thousands forced from their homes and firefighters battling intense heat and high winds. Before and after satellite images from Jan. 17 and two days later show the scale of devastation from the fires in the coastal Biobio region.