Wildfires

Wildfires - Australia

The Gell river fire, west of the Tasmanian capital, has now burned through almost 15,000 hectares of bush but no longer posed an immediate risk to properties, the Tasmania Fire Service said. But residents were warned of a risk of embers from the blaze, burning about 20km northwest of the communities.

The bushfire at Rosedale, in Gippsland suspected to be deliberately lit, ripped through more than 10,000 hectares of scrub and forest before it was brought under control about 2.30am Saturday.

Wildfires - Chile

Dozens of wildfires tore through central Chile destroying scores of homes. Local media reported there were 44 wildfires active on Thursday with at least eight more still burning in the Valparaiso region alone. Valparaiso is a coastal area about 100km northwest of Chile's capital, Santiago.

Perhaps the hardest hit municipality was Limache, where the mayor said some 60 homes were destroyed.

The O'Higgins region south of Valparaiso was also hard hit. In total, local media reported more than 2,600 hectares have burned.