Court extends detention in arson case tied to Trinitarias wildfire
A Chilean court on Friday ordered the pretrial detention of a 39-year-old man accused of involvement in the Trinitarias wildfire, one of multiple uncontrolled blazes burning across the central and southern parts of Chile for nearly a week, killing at least 20 people, according to the Associated Press.
The suspect was arrested late Thursday night, prosecutors said, in connection with the Trinitarias fire, which authorities described as the first of several wildfire outbreaks in the country’s central and southern regions.
Prosecutors said the fire started when the man was using a wood-burning stove in poor condition. They said sparks quickly spread to the forest surrounding Biobío, a region about 500 kilometers (310 miles) from Santiago that has been at the center of the fires.
Prosecutors requested an extension of detention because investigations were continuing, including a search for more bodies in Lirquén, the town described as the ground zero for the tragedy. The Guarantee Court of Concepción in Biobío accepted the request as part of an ongoing investigation “into an arson case resulting in death.”
Prosecutor cites embers, video evidence
During the hearing, prosecutor Jorge Lorca argued that the fire spread through embers. He said videos provided by a forestry company helped investigators link the suspect to events under investigation.
Lorca told reporters outside the courthouse: “We personally inspected the feasibility and distance of the actions with the Investigative Police, using an institutional helicopter.”
The court’s ruling said the accused must remain in pretrial detention until Jan. 26. Prosecutors plan to formally present the charges against the suspect on that date, but the charges have not yet been made public.
Wildfires merge, leaving thousands displaced
The wildfire emergency has hit Biobío hardest, reducing several small towns to ashes. The AP reported that the blazes have left a trail of destruction and deaths in Penco and Lirquén, and that one other person died as the fires spread to other regions.
The Trinitarias fire was described as the first outbreak among several. As the days passed, it merged with two other fires, producing a massive wall of flames.
By the most recent official figures, the fires have already ravaged more than 45,000 hectares (176 square miles) and left at least 21 people dead and 305 injured. Authorities reported about fifteen active megafires, with additional fires in the regions of Ñuble and La Araucanía.
Nearly 700 people remained in shelters on Friday, and more than 2,300 homes had been destroyed. The AP said the total area burned has already far exceeded what was consumed by the 2024 Valparaiso and Viña del Mar fire, which devastated more than 8,500 hectares and claimed 131 lives.