Environment

Chile Burned for Weeks in January. By March, Its New President Had Scrapped 43 Environmental Protections.

The January 2026 wildfires killed 23 people, destroyed more than 2,300 homes, and burned through 64,000 hectares of forests — an area the size of Chicago. Six weeks later, President José Antonio Kast suspended 43 environmental decrees on his second day in office. Tens of thousands took to the streets. Kast said he was cutting red tape.