Fires threaten Chile's native forests, reserves
Date: 08-Feb-02
Country: CHILE
The blaze engulfed 19,700 acres (7,972 hectares) of forested land in the Andean foothills about 500 miles (804 kms) south of Santiago, forcing the evacuation of tourists and villages nearby.
There were no injuries reported.
The fires are burning in three state-protected nature reserves, favorite destinations for campers and tourists during Chile's top vacation month of February.
Officials expected it would take them at least another week to put out the fire, which they suspect was caused by negligence.
"These fires are of a historic nature because we haven't seen anything like this in forest reserves for a long time," said Alejandro Blamey, director of the state forestry commission.
High temperatures in the Southern Hemisphere summer, reaching 93 degrees Ft (34 degrees Celsius) and dry winds caused the fire to spread and hindered efforts to extinguish it, he said.
"There are seven fires that worry us right now because they affect protected areas and are very difficult to control," Sergio Mendoza, the forestry commission's fire chief, told Reuters.
Television images showed billowing smoke rising from lush green mountains as helicopters dropped water on the blaze.
The affected parks - the Malleco National Park, Tolguaca National Park and Conguillio National Park - are home to the araucaria, or monkey puzzle tree, and other hardwood species found only in Chile and considered very valuable, including lenga, coigue and rauli.
Fire also ravaged parts of Chile's famed Torres del Paine National Park farther south in Patagonia, which attracts visitors from around the world every year for its striking tower-like rock formations. That fire was under control, officials said.