Chile on red alert as massive wildfires raze 1,000-year-old forests in drought-hit region
Chile on red alert as massive wildfires raze 1,000-year-old forests in drought-hit region
PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 25 March, 2015, 2:39pm
UPDATED : Wednesday, 25 March, 2015, 2:39pm
Agence France-Presse in Santiago
Chile has declared a red alert for three national parks and reserves where massive wildfires are threatening forests that are thousands of years old, officials said yesterday.
The fires have been raging for more than a week in the southern region of La Araucania, which has been hit by a severe drought.
The National Emergency Office (Onemi) warned they would likely spread and intensify.
Its going to be difficult to contain this fire today and tomorrow, but we hope that by Thursday we can effectively have it under control, said the vice-minister of the interior, Madmuh Aleuy.
The head of national forest service Conaf, Aaron Cavieres, said firefighters were battling to keep the blaze away from populated areas.
More:
http://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/1747005/chile-red-alert-massive-wildfires-raze-1000-year-old-forests-drought-hit