Authorities said mass evacuations were ordered as weather conditions continued to pose serious risks.
The speed and ferocity of wildfires sweeping through parts of Chile left residents with little time to escape, turning homes into rubble and everyday belongings into painful reminders of lives abruptly disrupted.
At least 19 people have been confirmed dead as firefighters battled nearly two dozen blazes across central and southern regions of the country, with intense heat and strong winds complicating containment efforts.
Authorities said mass evacuations were ordered as weather conditions continued to pose serious risks.
Although calmer overnight conditions helped bring some fires under control, officials warned that the threat remained high.
Security Minister, Luis Cordero, said adverse weather was expected to persist throughout the day.
"The projection we have today is of high temperatures," Cordero said, warning that authorities were most concerned about the possibility of new fires igniting across the region.
Extreme heat alerts were issued for several areas, with temperatures forecast to rise as high as 37 degrees Celsius (99 Fahrenheit), conditions that authorities said could fuel further destruction.
Most of the fatalities were recorded in Penco, a coastal town north of the regional capital, Concepcion, where residents returned at first light to scenes of devastation.
On Monday, families combed through charred remains of houses as firefighters continued efforts to put out lingering flames nearby.
Among them was Ana Caamaño, 51, who stood in the ashes of the home in Lirquen where she grew up and later inherited from her parents.
Scattered around her were burnt household items, including metal utensils and the body of one of her four dogs.
"They're not that important," Caamaño said, holding onto a pair of scorched rings. "But they're memories."
Caamaño and her husband, Luis, had been away visiting relatives when the fires erupted on Saturday.
By the time they returned, their home was gone. Luis was seen clearing debris from what remained of their garage, hoping to turn it into a temporary shelter.
Their son, Franco, had been at home when the fire approached. He said he tried to protect the house with a hose before a sudden shift in wind conditions made escape unavoidable.
"It came like lightning, it was so quick," Franco said, describing how thick smoke and advancing flames forced him to flee without salvaging any belongings.
Authorities said at least 325 homes have been completely destroyed, while another 1,100 properties are still being assessed as emergency crews continue to battle fires and residents face an uncertain recovery.