Wildfires

Chile city in state of emergency over wildfires

Chile on Saturday declared a local state of emergency over wildfires plaguing the landmark tourist-draw city of Valparaiso. The hilly Pacific city, part of which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been put under military authority to coordinate firefighting and government asset deployment efforts.

Located 120 kilometres (75 miles) northwest of the capital Santiago, Valparaiso is the seat of the Chilean Congress and spans 40 hills, offering stunning views of the sea. Thousands of tourists stroll its narrow cobblestone streets and ride cable cars up the steep hills each year.

At the moment, 19,000 hectares (73 square miles) of mostly woodlands have been lost, officials said.

Wildfires - Kenya

Nearly 6,000 hectares of the Aberdare National Park has been destroyed by a wildfire that has continued to spread for the second day. The fire, which began Friday morning is spreading quickly due to windy weather.

According to the Acting Assistant Director in charge of Mountain Conservation Simon Gitau the fire has consumed the lower moorlands in the northern part of the Aberdare.

Over 200 firefighters from the Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Wildlife Service and others from the ministry of Interior have been deployed to battle the blaze.