SANTIAGO, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chilean President Gabriel Boric on Sunday declared a state of catastrophe in the regions of Nuble and Biobio due to severe forest fires that have killed at least 16 people, authorizing the use of all necessary resources to combat the blazes.

"Given the serious fires currently underway, I have decided to declare a state of catastrophe in the regions of Nuble and Biobio. All resources are available," Boric said in a post on X.

According to Chile's National Forestry Corporation, as of 9:30 a.m. local time on Sunday, there were 24 active fires nationwide, including nine in the Nuble region and three in Biobio. The largest fire is in the city of Ranquil in Nuble, where the affected area has reached about 2,200 hectares.

Alicia Cebrian, director of Chile's National Disaster Prevention and Response Service, told local media that at least 30,000 people have been evacuated from the hardest-hit communities in the city of Penco in Biobio region. Damage to homes has yet to be fully assessed.

In February 2024, severe forest fires swept across parts of Chile's central Valparaiso region, killing at least 138 people and destroying tens of thousands of homes. ■