Chile Fire: Amazing Photos Show Scale of Devastating Valparaiso Blaze


Firefighters battled deadly forest fires in Valparaiso, Chile for a second night after coastal winds whipped up the flames again.


At least 12 people were killed and 500 injured as the blaze swept through the hills above the city, destroying 2,000 homes and forcing 10,000 people to flee.


city smoke

A huge cloud of smoke from a forest fire engulfs Valparaiso in ChileReuters



Fires emergency services thought they had under control were reignited by Sunday afternoon's winds and raged out of control, threatening to spread to more areas of the city.


The blaze began in a forested ravine next to ramshackle housing on one of Valparaiso's 42 hilltops, and spread rapidly. Hot ash rained down over wooden houses and narrow streets. Electricity failed as the fire grew, turning the night sky orange and reducing suburbs on six hilltops to ashes.



People watch as part of Valparaiso is destroyed by fire

People watch as part of Valparaiso is destroyed by fireReuters



A house goes up in flames

A house goes up in flamesReuters



Firefighters aim a jet of water onto a huge wall of flames

Firefighters aim a jet of water onto a huge wall of flamesAFP



People flee after the fire shot up again in an area of Valparaiso

People flee after the fire shot up again in an area of ValparaisoAFP



A couple and their baby react in horror after the fire was reignited in part of the city

A couple and their baby react in horror after the fire was reignited in part of the cityAFP



Two firefighters investigate an area while a huge fire consumes hillside properties

Two firefighters investigate an area while a huge fire consumes hillside propertiesReuters



A resident watches through his window as a forest fire approaches

A resident watches through his window as a forest fire approachesReuters



Residents throw buckets of water onto the flames as the forest fire approaches their properties

Residents throw buckets of water onto the flames as the forest fire approaches their propertiesReuters



An helicopter drops water onto the blaze

An helicopter drops water onto the blazeReuters



A forest fire rages in one of the hills surrounding Valparaiso

A forest fire rages in one of the hills surrounding ValparaisoReuters



Properties in the hills above Valparaiso are reduced to glowing embers

Properties in the hills above Valparaiso are reduced to glowing embersReuters



Residents survey the damage and sort through the remnants of houses in Valparaiso

Residents survey the damage and sort through the remnants of houses in ValparaisoReuters



Residents and rescue workers remove a body after a fire ripped through a residential area of the city

Residents and rescue workers remove a body after a fire ripped through a residential area of the cityReuters



An exhausted rescue worker takes a break

An exhausted rescue worker takes a breakReuters



A family sits amid the ruins of their house in an area ravaged by fire

A family sits amid the ruins of their house in an area ravaged by fireAFP



A volunteer gives water to a donkey caught up in the inferno

A volunteer gives water to a donkey caught up in the infernoReuters






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