During the early days of February 2024, a low-pressure system formed along the coast of central Chile, a well-known phenomenon affecting the western coast of subtropical South America, known as the coastal low.
It leads to clear skies and high temperatures as well as strong winds due to an inverted pressure gradient between an intense subtropical high extending well into midlatitudes and the coastal low farther north. These conditions are highly conducive to wildfires and on February 2, 2024, wildfires ignited in the mountainous forested areas east of, forested areas east of the city Viña del Mar and around Lake Peñuelas.
The flames rapidly advanced into densely populated city outskirts despite authorities’ efforts to curb their spread. The humanitarian impact continues to worsen, with over 29,000 hectares burnt since February 4, resulting in 132 deaths, 300 missing, 7,200 houses destroyed and 40,000 people affected. An international team of researchers collaborated to assess to what extent human-induced climate change altered the likelihood and intensity of the weather conditions at the time of the fires, and how the conditions will be affected with further warming.
