SmogRank / Episodes / Chile
South-western Chile, August 2026
For 3 days, from 22 to 24 August 2026, 14 cities in Chile had PM2.5 at least twice their usual for the time of year. The worst reading was Osorno, Los Lagos Region, Chile: 168.5 µg/m³ on 24 August, about 3.6× its usual 47.3.
No cause named We have no fire or smoke records for these days, so we only say what the measurements show.
Cities reached 14 in 1 country
Days 3 22 to 24 August 2026
Worst day 24 August 14 cities counted
Furthest above usual 3.9× Chillán
Day by day
Play 24 August 14 cities at twice their usual or more
Temuco Nacimiento Villarrica Curanilahue Hualqui Coronel Chiguayante Concepción Cauquenes La Unión Puerto Montt Valdivia Talca Los Ángeles Hualpén Lota Curicó San Pedro de la Paz Puerto Varas Talcahuano Tomé San Carlos Osorno Chillán Linares 19 Aug 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Every measured city in the area, coloured by its PM2.5 that day; a dark ring marks a city at twice its usual or more. Bars: cities counted each day, coloured by their median level. Choose a day or press play; without JavaScript, the days link to that day's world ranking.
How it spread
Osorno Osorno, 19 August: 106.0 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Osorno, 20 August: 35.7 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Osorno, 21 August: 40.5 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Osorno, 22 August: 69.6 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Osorno, 23 August: 124.5 µg/m³, 2.6× usual Osorno, 24 August: 168.5 µg/m³, 3.6× usual Osorno, 25 August: 36.8 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Osorno, 26 August: 31.4 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Osorno, 27 August: 36.0 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Linares Linares, 19 August: 91.1 µg/m³, 2.9× usual Linares, 20 August: 50.8 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Linares, 21 August: 53.8 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Linares, 22 August: 118.0 µg/m³, 3.7× usual Linares, 23 August: 122.0 µg/m³, 3.9× usual Linares, 24 August: 95.3 µg/m³, 3.0× usual Linares, 25 August: 44.4 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Linares, 26 August: 23.3 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Linares, 27 August: 32.0 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Chillán Chillán, 19 August: 39.6 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Chillán, 20 August: 70.4 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Chillán, 21 August: 23.9 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Chillán, 22 August: 41.4 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Chillán, 23 August: 69.9 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Chillán, 24 August: 136.0 µg/m³, 3.9× usual Chillán, 25 August: 37.4 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Chillán, 26 August: 21.6 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Chillán, 27 August: 32.0 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Curicó Curicó, 19 August: 64.5 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Curicó, 20 August: 44.0 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Curicó, 21 August: 67.0 µg/m³, 2.1× usual Curicó, 22 August: 74.6 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Curicó, 23 August: 88.8 µg/m³, 2.7× usual Curicó, 24 August: 73.5 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Curicó, 25 August: 36.5 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Curicó, 26 August: 22.7 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Curicó, 27 August: 28.6 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Hualpén Hualpén, 19 August: 59.5 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Hualpén, 20 August: 59.4 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Hualpén, 21 August: 64.1 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Hualpén, 22 August: 102.0 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Hualpén, 23 August: 48.3 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Hualpén, 24 August: 112.0 µg/m³, 2.5× usual Hualpén, 25 August: 28.1 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Hualpén, 26 August: 18.0 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Hualpén, 27 August: 22.0 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Tomé Tomé, 19 August: 33.0 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Tomé, 20 August: 35.1 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Tomé, 21 August: 39.2 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Tomé, 22 August: 63.7 µg/m³, 2.5× usual Tomé, 23 August: 77.9 µg/m³, 3.1× usual Tomé, 24 August: 54.4 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Tomé, 25 August: 20.9 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Tomé, 26 August: 15.0 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Tomé, 27 August: 19.8 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Talca Talca, 19 August: 53.8 µg/m³, 1.9× usual Talca, 20 August: 47.1 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Talca, 21 August: 37.7 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Talca, 22 August: 57.5 µg/m³, 2.0× usual Talca, 23 August: 64.1 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Talca, 24 August: 64.9 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Talca, 25 August: 35.3 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Talca, 26 August: 18.3 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Talca, 27 August: 21.3 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Lota Lota, 19 August: 29.2 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Lota, 20 August: 31.8 µg/m³, 1.8× usual Lota, 21 August: 29.5 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Lota, 22 August: 40.3 µg/m³, 2.2× usual Lota, 23 August: 44.8 µg/m³, 2.5× usual Lota, 24 August: 41.6 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Lota, 25 August: 27.7 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Lota, 26 August: 19.8 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Lota, 27 August: 23.5 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Valdivia Valdivia, 19 August: 70.3 µg/m³, 1.7× usual Valdivia, 20 August: 43.2 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Valdivia, 21 August: 54.4 µg/m³, 1.3× usual Valdivia, 22 August: 41.7 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Valdivia, 23 August: 91.7 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Valdivia, 24 August: 92.3 µg/m³, 2.3× usual Valdivia, 25 August: 30.6 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Valdivia, 26 August: 20.5 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Valdivia, 27 August: 23.0 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Puerto Varas Puerto Varas, 19 August: 37.3 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Puerto Varas, 20 August: 27.5 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Puerto Varas, 21 August: 49.7 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Puerto Varas, 22 August: 48.3 µg/m³, 1.0× usual Puerto Varas, 23 August: 76.6 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Puerto Varas, 24 August: 138.0 µg/m³, 2.8× usual Puerto Varas, 25 August: 21.2 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Puerto Varas, 26 August: 21.8 µg/m³, 0.4× usual Puerto Varas, 27 August: 27.4 µg/m³, 0.6× usual San Carlos San Carlos, 19 August: 44.3 µg/m³, 1.3× usual San Carlos, 20 August: 64.8 µg/m³, 1.8× usual San Carlos, 21 August: no reading San Carlos, 22 August: 38.7 µg/m³, 1.1× usual San Carlos, 23 August: 62.7 µg/m³, 1.8× usual San Carlos, 24 August: 117.0 µg/m³, 3.3× usual San Carlos, 25 August: 30.0 µg/m³, 0.9× usual San Carlos, 26 August: 16.4 µg/m³, 0.5× usual San Carlos, 27 August: 19.3 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Talcahuano Talcahuano, 19 August: 25.5 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Talcahuano, 20 August: 25.0 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Talcahuano, 21 August: 24.3 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Talcahuano, 22 August: 43.7 µg/m³, 1.6× usual Talcahuano, 23 August: 33.2 µg/m³, 1.2× usual Talcahuano, 24 August: 75.9 µg/m³, 2.8× usual Talcahuano, 25 August: 22.0 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Talcahuano, 26 August: 17.5 µg/m³, 0.6× usual Talcahuano, 27 August: 19.6 µg/m³, 0.7× usual Los Ángeles Los Ángeles, 19 August: 27.4 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Los Ángeles, 20 August: 41.2 µg/m³, 1.4× usual Los Ángeles, 21 August: 23.2 µg/m³, 0.8× usual Los Ángeles, 22 August: 28.2 µg/m³, 0.9× usual Los Ángeles, 23 August: 44.7 µg/m³, 1.5× usual Los Ángeles, 24 August: 72.3 µg/m³, 2.4× usual Los Ángeles, 25 August: 34.5 µg/m³, 1.1× usual Los Ángeles, 26 August: 16.6 µg/m³, 0.5× usual Los Ángeles, 27 August: 19.1 µg/m³, 0.6× usual San Pedro de la Paz San Pedro de la Paz, 19 August: 29.8 µg/m³, 1.3× usual San Pedro de la Paz, 20 August: 27.5 µg/m³, 1.2× usual San Pedro de la Paz, 21 August: 27.5 µg/m³, 1.2× usual San Pedro de la Paz, 22 August: 37.2 µg/m³, 1.6× usual San Pedro de la Paz, 23 August: 37.1 µg/m³, 1.6× usual San Pedro de la Paz, 24 August: 64.8 µg/m³, 2.8× usual San Pedro de la Paz, 25 August: 25.3 µg/m³, 1.1× usual San Pedro de la Paz, 26 August: 21.7 µg/m³, 0.9× usual San Pedro de la Paz, 27 August: 24.6 µg/m³, 1.0× usual 19 Aug 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Every counted city, in the order the episode reached them, 3 days before to 3 after. Each square is a day, coloured by that day's PM2.5; outlined: at twice the city's usual or more. Good 0–50
Moderate 51–100
Sensitive groups 101–150
Unhealthy 151–200
Very unhealthy 201–300
Hazardous 301+
Every city it reached
City Days Highest Usual Above usual
Chillán Ñuble, Chile 2 24 August 34.5 3.9× Linares Maule Region, Chile 3 23 August 31.6 3.9× Osorno Los Lagos Region, Chile 2 24 August 47.3 3.6× San Carlos Ñuble, Chile 1 24 August 35.1 3.3× Tomé Biobio, Chile 3 23 August 25.2 3.1× Puerto Varas Los Lagos Region, Chile 1 24 August 48.8 2.8× Talcahuano Biobio, Chile 1 24 August 27.4 2.8× San Pedro de la Paz Biobio, Chile 1 24 August 23.5 2.8× Curicó Maule Region, Chile 3 23 August 32.3 2.7× Hualpén Biobio, Chile 2 24 August 44.7 2.5× Lota Biobio, Chile 3 23 August 18.1 2.5× Los Ángeles Biobio, Chile 1 24 August 30.3 2.4× Talca Maule Region, Chile 3 24 August 28.3 2.3× Valdivia Los Ríos Region, Chile 2 24 August 40.7 2.3×
Daily means in µg/m³. Usual: the city's median for this time of year (its days within 21 days of the date, every year, leaving out the week around it). Above usual: its highest day against that.
Against other episodes in Chile
Number 4 of 11 episodes in Chile since our records began, by cities reached.
South-western Chile, July 2026 19 South-western Chile, May 2026 19 South-western Chile, June and July 2025 17 South-western Chile, August 2026 14 South-western Chile, May 2026 14 South-western Chile, June 2025 12 South-western Chile, August 2026 10 Biobio and Maule Region, Chile, January 2026 10 South-western Chile, August 2025 9 Southern Chile, June 2025 9 Los Lagos Region and Biobio, Chile, May 2026 8 Bars: cities reached; colour: the level of the episode's highest daily reading.
Use this page SmogRank, South-western Chile, August 2026: 14 cities with PM2.5 at twice their usual or more, 22 to 24 August 2026, smogrank.com/episodes/2026-08-south-western-chile-2 (accessed 2 October 2026).
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You're welcome to reuse a single chart, image or figure with this citation and a link. Terms .
An episode is a run of days when many cities close to each other (four or more within 350 km on a day, 8 or more in all) each had a daily PM2.5 mean of at least 25 µg/m³ and at least 2 times their usual for that time of year. Found in our own measurements, not picked by hand. How we find episodes . Values are each city's daily mean of its own monitors; causes are the usual kinds for a pattern like this, not a confirmed source.
