A Massive Forest Fire is Raging Near Picturesque Chilean City. See Photos Here

Chilean firefighters reportedly contained a huge blaze that was threatening the city of Valparaiso, said officials on Sunday.
A Massive Forest Fire is Raging Near Picturesque Chilean City. See Photos Here
Fire rages in the forest around Valparaiso, in Chile, on March 13, 2015 as the fire threatens to reach the city's port. Authorities have declared a red alert in the area. AFP PHOTO / FRANCESCO DEGASPERI (Photo credit should read FRANCESCO DEGASPERI/AFP/Getty Images)
Jack Phillips
3/16/2015
Updated:
7/18/2015

Chilean firefighters reportedly contained a huge blaze that was threatening the city of Valparaiso, said officials on Sunday.

At least one person died and thousands were evacuated due to the fire, which was threatening a UNESCO World Heritage site, according to the AFP news agency.

“We are keeping the Valparaiso fire contained and so its spread is under control,” Deputy Interior Secretary Mahmud Aleuy told the news agency.

Police will charge the owners of an illegal landfill where the fire originated. The fire started on Friday.

Photo credit should read FRANCESCO DEGASPERI/AFP/Getty Images)
Photo credit should read FRANCESCO DEGASPERI/AFP/Getty Images)
(Photo credit should read FRANCESCO DEGASPERI/AFP/Getty Images)
(Photo credit should read FRANCESCO DEGASPERI/AFP/Getty Images)
(Photo credit should read VLADIMIR RODAS/AFP/Getty Images)
(Photo credit should read VLADIMIR RODAS/AFP/Getty Images)
(VLADIMIR RODAS/AFP/Getty Images)
(VLADIMIR RODAS/AFP/Getty Images)
(VLADIMIR RODAS/AFP/Getty Images)
(VLADIMIR RODAS/AFP/Getty Images)

NBC News reported that at least 4,500 people were evacuated from around the area.

Valparaiso is located just west of Santiago, the capital of Chile, and it has a population of around 260,000 people.

“That puts us in a position where, in any situation, a forest fire in the geographic area we have can become a fire of the proportions we had last time,” Ricardo Bravo, the city’s mayor, told AFP.

Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter with 15 years experience who started as a local New York City reporter. Having joined The Epoch Times' news team in 2009, Jack was born and raised near Modesto in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
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