The Government of Chile deployed a specialized helicopter in southern Peru to help fight the wildfires affecting that country. The aircraft is already at the disposal of Peruvian authorities in Cusco, from where it can travel to the Puno and Junín regions.
According to Emol, the Subsecretaría del Interior (Chile's Undersecretariat of the Interior) and the Corporación Nacional Forestal (Conaf, Chile's national forestry agency) coordinated the deployment. They responded to a formal request that the Embassy of Peru submitted on October 13, 2026, to Chile's Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
The emergency worsened over recent weeks. According to civil society organizations and local media, the fires have left at least 12 people dead and more than 800 affected, with more than 70 fires recorded across different Peruvian regions.
Some of the most visible damage occurred in the Lake Titicaca National Reserve, in Puno, near the floating islands of the Uros. There, a fire swept through around 400 hectares of totora reed on October 21, according to aerial images released by the AFP news agency. Totora is the aquatic plant that Uros communities use to build their islands and boats.
The aircraft sent is an Airbus AS350B3, operated by the company Transportes Aéreos Puma SpA. It can carry up to 900 liters of water and is equipped both to extinguish fires and to transport emergency personnel.
The mission covers seven days of operation and 35 flight hours, and includes crew, maintenance and logistical support. The cost comes to US$139,997.55, funded entirely by the Emergency Funds of the Subsecretaría del Interior. Conaf hired the aircraft through a direct emergency contract so it would be available immediately.
The subsecretario del Interior (Undersecretary of the Interior), Máximo Pavez, explained that the deployment was coordinated with the Cancillería (Chile's Foreign Ministry), the Servicio Nacional de Prevención y Respuesta ante Desastres (Senapred, Chile's national disaster prevention and response service), Conaf and Peruvian authorities. "Chile has extensive experience in responding to natural disasters and wildfires, and today we are putting that capacity at the disposal of the Peruvian people," he said.
The aid comes at a sensitive moment in bilateral relations, recently marked by debate in Peru over the expulsion of migrants from Chile. Disaster cooperation is a common channel between neighboring countries, and Chile has received international support during its own wildfire seasons.
The helicopter will operate under the technical coordination of Peruvian agencies, which will decide its deployment based on how the fires develop during the mission week.
