The community of Eden braced for the worst as fires raged towards their borders on New Year's Eve, and whilst the town itself remains intact, residents will be feeling the effects of the flames for a while to come.

'Don't know what we're going to do': Australians in town ravaged by bushfire

Climate Change Is A Crisis That Affects The Whole World. Yet, The Response By Governments Have Been Lacklustre To Say The Least. #WIONEdit

WION Edit: Rampaging forest fires offer a glimpse to our future on earth!

President Joko Widodo said Tuesday that prevention must be absolute in handling Indonesia's forest and land fires. Widodo said in Pekanbaru during a meeting with staff that the nation has all the resources for prevention of the noxious haze, but that they are not activated properly.

Efforts ongoing to tackle Indonesia fires, haze

In Indonesia, Smog from the forest fires came over the cities and covers it up. This forces Airport to shut and cancel flights.

Indonesia: Smog over the cities disrupts flights, forces Airport to shut

The number of blazes in Indonesia's rainforests has jumped sharply, satellite data showed Thursday, spreading smog across Southeast Asia and adding to concerns about the impact of increasing wildfire outbreaks worldwide on global warming.

Illegal blazes to clear land for agricultural plantations have been raging on Sumatra and Borneo islands, with Indonesia deploying water-bombing helicopters and thousands of security forces to tackle them.

It is just the latest such outbreak globally -- huge blazes have torn through the Amazon in South America while bushfires are sweeping across eastern Australia in an unusually ferocious and early start to the wildfire season.

Indonesia's forest fires are an annual problem but have been worsened this year by particularly dry weather, and in recent days sent toxic smog floating over Malaysia and triggered a diplomatic row.

The number of "hotspots" -- areas of intense heat detected by satellite which indicate a high chance of fire -- jumped sharply in Indonesia on Wednesday, according to the Singapore-based ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre.

There were 1,619 hotspots detected on the Indonesian part of Borneo and Sumatra up from 861 a day earlier, according to a tally from the centre, which monitors forest fires and smog outbreaks.

In hard-hit Riau province on Sumatra, firefighters were battling round the clock through charred forests as they sought to extinguish blazes belching thick white smog, AFP reporters said.

Provincial capital Pekanbaru was blanketed in dense smoke, leaving the sky dark even at midday. Residents sought to go about their daily lives as usual, with many wearing only rudimentary face masks.

Kiki Taufik, a forests campaigner with Greenpeace in Indonesia, told AFP there has been little rain in the past fortnight, particularly on Indonesian Borneo which saw the sharpest increase in hotspots.

Borneo is shared between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.

Burning issue

Taufik saw similarities between the blazes in Indonesia and those in the Amazon, where farmers also start fires to clear land for agriculture.&nbsp;

"This should remind people we are facing a climate crisis," he said of the recent fires around the world.

"Industries are looking to expand plantations using fires."

And he warned Indonesia's blazes would add to the sprawling archipelago's climate-damaging emissions, already among the highest in the world.

In 2015 Indonesia suffered its worst forest fires for about two decades, which dramatically increased its greenhouse gas emissions.

Diplomatic tensions were also rising as Malaysian Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin accused her Indonesian counterpart of being "in denial", after Jakarta insisted fires in Malaysia had caused the smog there.

"Let the data speak for itself," she said in a Facebook post, indicating figures from the ASEAN centre which showed only a handful of hotspots in Malaysia compared to the hundreds in Indonesia.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad will write to Indonesian President Joko Widodo raising concerns about the haze, she said.

Indonesian Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar hit back Wednesday, telling AFP that "hotspots are not only found in Indonesia, but also in Sarawak (on Malaysian Borneo) and peninsular Malaysia".

"We are not standing idly by," she added.

Indonesian personnel have been struggling to tame the blazes as many burn underground in carbon-rich peat, which has been cleared across vast areas of the country for plantations.

After being cleared and drained of water, peat is highly combustible and hard to extinguish once ablaze.

There have been some outbreaks of fire in the Malaysian part of Borneo. Drone footage taken by AFP in the area showed smoke rising from charcoal grey patches of smouldering earth, surrounded by pristine forest.

The number of blazes in Indonesia's rainforests has jumped sharply, satellite data showed Thursday, spreading smog across Southeast Asia and adding to concerns about the impact of increasing wildfire outbreaks worldwide on global warming.

The number of blazes in Indonesia's rainforests has jumped sharply, satellite data showed Thursday, spreading smog across Southeast Asia and adding to concerns about the impact of increasing wildfire outbreaks worldwide on global warming. Illegal blazes to clear land for agricultural plantations have been raging on Sumatra and Borneo islands, with Indonesia deploying water-bombing helicopters and thousands of security forces to tackle them. It is just the latest such outbreak globally -- huge blazes have torn through the Amazon in South America while bushfires are sweeping across eastern Australia in an unusually ferocious and early start to the wildfire season. Indonesia's forest fires are an annual problem but have been worsened this year by particularly dry weather, and in recent days sent toxic smog floating over Malaysia and triggered a diplomatic row. The number of "hotspots" -- areas of intense heat detected by satellite which indicate a high chance of fire -- jumped sharply in Indonesia on Wednesday, according to the Singapore-based ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre. There were 1,619 hotspots detected on the Indonesian part of Borneo and Sumatra up from 861 a day earlier, according to a tally from the centre, which monitors forest fires and smog outbreaks. In hard-hit Riau province on Sumatra, firefighters were battling round the clock through charred forests as they sought to extinguish blazes belching thick white smog, AFP reporters said. Provincial capital Pekanbaru was blanketed in dense smoke, leaving the sky dark even at midday. Residents sought to go about their daily lives as usual, with many wearing only rudimentary face masks. Kiki Taufik, a forests campaigner with Greenpeace in Indonesia, told AFP there has been little rain in the past fortnight, particularly on Indonesian Borneo which saw the sharpest increase in hotspots. Borneo is shared between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Burning issue Taufik saw similarities between the blazes in Indonesia and those in the Amazon, where farmers also start fires to clear land for agriculture. "This should remind people we are facing a climate crisis," he said of the recent fires around the world. "Industries are looking to expand plantations using fires." And he warned Indonesia's blazes would add to the sprawling archipelago's climate-damaging emissions, already among the highest in the world. In 2015 Indonesia suffered its worst forest fires for about two decades, which dramatically increased its greenhouse gas emissions. Diplomatic tensions were also rising as Malaysian Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin accused her Indonesian counterpart of being "in denial", after Jakarta insisted fires in Malaysia had caused the smog there. "Let the data speak for itself," she said in a Facebook post, indicating figures from the ASEAN centre which showed only a handful of hotspots in Malaysia compared to the hundreds in Indonesia. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad will write to Indonesian President Joko Widodo raising concerns about the haze, she said. Indonesian Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar hit back Wednesday, telling AFP that "hotspots are not only found in Indonesia, but also in Sarawak (on Malaysian Borneo) and peninsular Malaysia". "We are not standing idly by," she added. Indonesian personnel have been struggling to tame the blazes as many burn underground in carbon-rich peat, which has been cleared across vast areas of the country for plantations. After being cleared and drained of water, peat is highly combustible and hard to extinguish once ablaze. There have been some outbreaks of fire in the Malaysian part of Borneo. Drone footage taken by AFP in the area showed smoke rising from charcoal grey patches of smouldering earth, surrounded by pristine forest.

Indonesia forest fires surge, stoking global warming fears

The number of fires in Brazil's Amazon basin is still on the rise, even though the government has banned burning, officials said Saturday.

In the first 48 hours since the ban was issued, satellite data from the National Space Research Institute (INPE) showed 3,859 new outbreaks of fire, of which some 2,000 were concentrated in the Amazon region.

From January to the end of August, 51.9 per cent of Brazil's recorded 88,816 fires were in the rainforest, according to the INPE, a number experts call a dramatic, direct consequence of farmers' widespread deforestation.

Brazil's Amazon region is in its dry season, but experts note that 2019 has been wetter than previous years -- they also stress that there are no natural fires in the Amazon.

The no-burn decree may have been too little too late, and more of a political than practical gesture, some analysts say.

Deforestation has surged this year as agencies tasked with monitoring illegal activities were weakened by right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro.

Often called the Trump of the Tropics, Bolsonaro has questioned climate change, and argues farmers sometimes need the land for their livelihood.

Since the weekend thousands of troops, firefighters, and aircraft have been deployed, and the defense ministry says the fires are under control.

Bolsonaro claimed in a live Facebook broadcast Thursday "this year's fires are below the average of recent years."

Deforestation for farming is one of the most serious threats to the rainforest and is a problem present in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.

Farmers Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia commonly set fires in the dry season to clear the undergrowth in deforested areas. However, this often leads to uncontrolled burning, which takes a greater toll on the rainforest.

Much to environmentalists' chagrin, Bolivia's government recently authorized farmers to burn 20 hectares (almost 50 acres) instead of the usual five hectares (12 acres) -- which is believed to have contributed to thousands of wildfires that razed 1.2 million hectares of grassland and forest since May.

Illegal crops also reduce the rainforest, such as Colombian coca cultivation, which covers roughly 170,000 hectares, according to UN data.

Significant damage is also done by illegal mining operations, which is compounded by the use of chemicals such as mercury -- particularly in gold mining -- which contaminates soil and streams.

The number of fires in Brazil's Amazon basin is still on the rise, even though the government has banned burning, officials said Saturday. In the first 48 hours since the ban was issued, satellite data from the National Space Research Institute (INPE) showed 3,859 new outbreaks of fire, of which some 2,000 were concentrated in the Amazon region.

The number of fires in Brazil's Amazon basin is still on the rise, even though the government has banned burning, officials said Saturday. In the first 48 hours since the ban was issued, satellite data from the National Space Research Institute (INPE) showed 3,859 new outbreaks of fire, of which some 2,000 were concentrated in the Amazon region. From January to the end of August, 51.9 per cent of Brazil's recorded 88,816 fires were in the rainforest, according to the INPE, a number experts call a dramatic, direct consequence of farmers' widespread deforestation. Brazil's Amazon region is in its dry season, but experts note that 2019 has been wetter than previous years -- they also stress that there are no natural fires in the Amazon. The no-burn decree may have been too little too late, and more of a political than practical gesture, some analysts say. Deforestation has surged this year as agencies tasked with monitoring illegal activities were weakened by right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. Often called the Trump of the Tropics, Bolsonaro has questioned climate change, and argues farmers sometimes need the land for their livelihood. Since the weekend thousands of troops, firefighters, and aircraft have been deployed, and the defense ministry says the fires are under control. Bolsonaro claimed in a live Facebook broadcast Thursday "this year's fires are below the average of recent years." Deforestation for farming is one of the most serious threats to the rainforest and is a problem present in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela. Farmers Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia commonly set fires in the dry season to clear the undergrowth in deforested areas. However, this often leads to uncontrolled burning, which takes a greater toll on the rainforest. Much to environmentalists' chagrin, Bolivia's government recently authorized farmers to burn 20 hectares (almost 50 acres) instead of the usual five hectares (12 acres) -- which is believed to have contributed to thousands of wildfires that razed 1.2 million hectares of grassland and forest since May. Illegal crops also reduce the rainforest, such as Colombian coca cultivation, which covers roughly 170,000 hectares, according to UN data. Significant damage is also done by illegal mining operations, which is compounded by the use of chemicals such as mercury -- particularly in gold mining -- which contaminates soil and streams.

Brazil's Amazon basin fires keep surging

Bolivia's President Evo Morales joined firefighters in Santa Rosa on Tuesday (August 27) to help crew put out wildfires, as the country struggles to contain blazes across Bolivia.

President Evo Morales joins firefighters to battle wildfires in Bolivia

Brazil has 44,000 troops stationed in its northern Amazon region that are available to combat forest fires and could send more from elsewhere in the country, the joint chief of staff for the country's military said on Saturday.

Brazil: 44,000 troops deployed to combat forest fires

Hundreds of new fires are raging in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazils-indigenous-people-swear-to-fight-for-amazon-to-last-drop-of-blood-245334">Amazon rainforest in Brazil</a>, official data showed Saturday, as thousands of troops were made available to help fight the worst blazes in years following a global outcry.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-eu-threatens-trade-retaliation-brazil-sends-army-to-fight-amazon-fires-245212">Multiple fires billowing huge plumes of smoke</a> into the air were seen across a vast area of the northwestern state of Rondonia on Friday when AFP journalists flew over the area.&nbsp;

Several residents in the capital, Porto Velho, told AFP on Saturday that what appeared to be light clouds hanging over the city of half a million people, was actually smoke from the blazes that had scorched swaths of land and left tree trunks smoldering on the ground.

"I'm very worried because of the environment and health," Delmara Conceicao Silva told AFP.&nbsp;

"I have a daughter with respiratory problems and she suffers more because of the fires."

The fires in the world's largest rainforest have triggered a global uproar, and are a major topic of concern at the G7 meeting in Biarritz in southern France.

Official figures show 78,383 forest fires have been recorded in Brazil this year, the highest number of any year since 2013. Experts say the clearing of land during the monthslong dry season to make way for crops or grazing, has aggravated the problem.&nbsp;

More than half of the fires are in the massive Amazon basin, where more than 20 million people live. Some 1,663 new fires were ignited between Thursday and Friday, according to Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE).&nbsp;

The new data came a day after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-amazon-burns-brazils-jair-bolsonaro-tells-rest-of-world-not-to-interfere-244909">Bolsonaro</a> authorized deployment of the military to fight the fires and crack down on criminal activity.&nbsp;

Seven states, including Rondonia, have requested the army's help in the Amazon, where more than 43,000 troops are based and available to combat fires, officials said. Firefighters and planes are also being deployed.&nbsp;

Six aircraft, including two Hercules C-130s equipped to carry 12,000 liters (3,170 gallons) of water each, have been sent to Rondonia to fight the fires. They are expected to be joined by 30 firefighters on Sunday.

'Help is welcome'

US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, both attending the G7 summit, have offered their countries' assistance in fighting the fires.&nbsp;

"Any help is welcome in respect to the fires," Brazil's Defense Minister Fernando Azevedo e Silva told reporters on Saturday. &nbsp;

The blazes have stirred outrage globally, with thousands of people protesting in Brazil and Europe on Friday. More demonstrations are planned in Brazil on Sunday.&nbsp;

Earlier this week, Bolsonaro, whose anti-environment rhetoric since coming to power in January has been blamed for harming the Amazon and indigenous tribes, accused non-governmental organizations of deliberately starting the fires after their funding was cut.&nbsp;

The growing crisis threatens to torpedo a blockbuster trade deal between the European Union and South American countries, including Brazil, that took 20 years to negotiate.

EU Council president Donald Tusk told reporters at the G7 on Saturday that it was hard to imagine European countries ratifying a trade pact with the Mercosur bloc as long as Brazil fails to curb the fires ravaging the Amazon, which is known as the "lungs of the planet" because of its crucial role in mitigating climate change.&nbsp;

French President Emmanuel Macron, who has taken the lead in pressing his Brazilian counterpart over the fires, had earlier accused Bolsonaro of lying to him about Brazil's stance on climate change.&nbsp;

In an escalating war of words between the two leaders, Bolsonaro denounced what he calls Macron's "colonialist mentality."

Environmental specialists say the fires are coming amid increasing deforestation in the Amazon region, which in July took place at a rate four times that of the same month in 2018, according to data from INPE.&nbsp;

Bolsonaro has previously attacked the institute, describing its data as lies and engineering the sacking of its head.

On Friday, he insisted that the fires should not be used as an excuse to punish Brazil.&nbsp;

"There are forest fires all over the world, and this cannot be used as a pretext for possible international sanctions," Bolsonaro said.

Brazil's powerful agriculture sector -- which strongly supports Bolsonaro -- has expressed concerns over the president's rhetoric, fearing boycotts of their products in key markets.&nbsp;

In an editorial Saturday, the respected Folha de S.Paulo newspaper warned that Bolsonaro's "bravado" had worsened the crisis caused by accelerating deforestation.

"The damage to (Brazil's) image is done, and it could have important trade repercussions," it said.

"Nationalistic bravado will not win the game this time."&nbsp;

Hundreds of new fires are raging in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, official data showed Saturday, as thousands of troops were made available to help fight the worst blazes in years following a global outcry.

Hundreds of new fires are raging in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, official data showed Saturday, as thousands of troops were made available to help fight the worst blazes in years following a global outcry. Multiple fires billowing huge plumes of smoke into the air were seen across a vast area of the northwestern state of Rondonia on Friday when AFP journalists flew over the area. Several residents in the capital, Porto Velho, told AFP on Saturday that what appeared to be light clouds hanging over the city of half a million people, was actually smoke from the blazes that had scorched swaths of land and left tree trunks smoldering on the ground. "I'm very worried because of the environment and health," Delmara Conceicao Silva told AFP. "I have a daughter with respiratory problems and she suffers more because of the fires." The fires in the world's largest rainforest have triggered a global uproar, and are a major topic of concern at the G7 meeting in Biarritz in southern France. Official figures show 78,383 forest fires have been recorded in Brazil this year, the highest number of any year since 2013. Experts say the clearing of land during the monthslong dry season to make way for crops or grazing, has aggravated the problem. More than half of the fires are in the massive Amazon basin, where more than 20 million people live. Some 1,663 new fires were ignited between Thursday and Friday, according to Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE). The new data came a day after Bolsonaro authorized deployment of the military to fight the fires and crack down on criminal activity. Seven states, including Rondonia, have requested the army's help in the Amazon, where more than 43,000 troops are based and available to combat fires, officials said. Firefighters and planes are also being deployed. Six aircraft, including two Hercules C-130s equipped to carry 12,000 liters (3,170 gallons) of water each, have been sent to Rondonia to fight the fires. They are expected to be joined by 30 firefighters on Sunday. 'Help is welcome' US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, both attending the G7 summit, have offered their countries' assistance in fighting the fires. "Any help is welcome in respect to the fires," Brazil's Defense Minister Fernando Azevedo e Silva told reporters on Saturday. The blazes have stirred outrage globally, with thousands of people protesting in Brazil and Europe on Friday. More demonstrations are planned in Brazil on Sunday. Earlier this week, Bolsonaro, whose anti-environment rhetoric since coming to power in January has been blamed for harming the Amazon and indigenous tribes, accused non-governmental organizations of deliberately starting the fires after their funding was cut. The growing crisis threatens to torpedo a blockbuster trade deal between the European Union and South American countries, including Brazil, that took 20 years to negotiate. EU Council president Donald Tusk told reporters at the G7 on Saturday that it was hard to imagine European countries ratifying a trade pact with the Mercosur bloc as long as Brazil fails to curb the fires ravaging the Amazon, which is known as the "lungs of the planet" because of its crucial role in mitigating climate change. French President Emmanuel Macron, who has taken the lead in pressing his Brazilian counterpart over the fires, had earlier accused Bolsonaro of lying to him about Brazil's stance on climate change. In an escalating war of words between the two leaders, Bolsonaro denounced what he calls Macron's "colonialist mentality." Environmental specialists say the fires are coming amid increasing deforestation in the Amazon region, which in July took place at a rate four times that of the same month in 2018, according to data from INPE. Bolsonaro has previously attacked the institute, describing its data as lies and engineering the sacking of its head. On Friday, he insisted that the fires should not be used as an excuse to punish Brazil. "There are forest fires all over the world, and this cannot be used as a pretext for possible international sanctions," Bolsonaro said. Brazil's powerful agriculture sector -- which strongly supports Bolsonaro -- has expressed concerns over the president's rhetoric, fearing boycotts of their products in key markets. In an editorial Saturday, the respected Folha de S.Paulo newspaper warned that Bolsonaro's "bravado" had worsened the crisis caused by accelerating deforestation. "The damage to (Brazil's) image is done, and it could have important trade repercussions," it said. "Nationalistic bravado will not win the game this time."

Hundreds of new fires in Brazil as outrage over Amazon grows

Brazil has 44,000 troops stationed in its northern Amazon region that are available to combat forest fires and could send more from elsewhere in the country, the joint chief of staff for the country's military said on Saturday. Watch this video to know more.

Hundreds of fresh fires detected in Amazon, Brazil deploys 44,000 troops for combat

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called in the military to fight forest fires that have been raging across vast expanses of Siberia for days, enveloping entire cities in black smoke.

Environmentalists have warned that the scale of the blazes could accelerate global warming, aside from any immediate effects on the health of inhabitants.

"After reviewing a report from the emergency situations minister, Putin instructed the ministry of defence to join the effort to extinguish the fires," the Kremlin's press service told Russian media.

Around 3 million hectares (7.4 million acres) of land in the centre and east of the country were in the grip of fires on Wednesday, authorities said.

The acrid smoke has affected not only small settlements but also major cities in Western Siberia and the Altai region as well as the Urals such as Chelyabinsk and Yekaterinburg, and disrupted air travel.

Some 2,700 firefighters were already working to tackle the blazes, Interfax news agency reported.

The defence ministry told news agencies that 10 planes and 10 helicopters had been dispatched to the Krasnoyarsk region, one of the worst affected.

The Kremlin press service said the armed forces in the Irkutsk region, also badly hit, had been put on high alert, without providing further details of military involvement.&nbsp;

The fires, triggered by dry thunderstorms in temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), were spread by strong winds, Russia's federal forestry agency said earlier.&nbsp;

The majority of the fires rage in remote or inaccessible areas and authorities make the decision to extinguish them only if the estimated damage exceeds the cost of the operation.

Summer fires are common in Russia but this year they have spread further than usual.

According to the Russian branch of Greenpeace, almost 12 million hectares of forest have been burnt this year -- causing significant CO2 emissions and reducing the future capacity of forest to absorb the carbon dioxide.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called in the military to fight forest fires that have been raging across vast expanses of Siberia for days, enveloping entire cities in black smoke.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called in the military to fight forest fires that have been raging across vast expanses of Siberia for days, enveloping entire cities in black smoke. Environmentalists have warned that the scale of the blazes could accelerate global warming, aside from any immediate effects on the health of inhabitants. "After reviewing a report from the emergency situations minister, Putin instructed the ministry of defence to join the effort to extinguish the fires," the Kremlin's press service told Russian media. Around 3 million hectares (7.4 million acres) of land in the centre and east of the country were in the grip of fires on Wednesday, authorities said. The acrid smoke has affected not only small settlements but also major cities in Western Siberia and the Altai region as well as the Urals such as Chelyabinsk and Yekaterinburg, and disrupted air travel. Some 2,700 firefighters were already working to tackle the blazes, Interfax news agency reported. The defence ministry told news agencies that 10 planes and 10 helicopters had been dispatched to the Krasnoyarsk region, one of the worst affected. The Kremlin press service said the armed forces in the Irkutsk region, also badly hit, had been put on high alert, without providing further details of military involvement. The fires, triggered by dry thunderstorms in temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), were spread by strong winds, Russia's federal forestry agency said earlier. The majority of the fires rage in remote or inaccessible areas and authorities make the decision to extinguish them only if the estimated damage exceeds the cost of the operation. Summer fires are common in Russia but this year they have spread further than usual. According to the Russian branch of Greenpeace, almost 12 million hectares of forest have been burnt this year -- causing significant CO2 emissions and reducing the future capacity of forest to absorb the carbon dioxide.

Putin calls in army to fight Siberia forest fires

A raging wildfire pushed toward a string of California coastal cities on Sunday, December 10, prompting new evacuations as crews fought to save homes in the face of gusty winds that have fueled blazes across the state for nearly a week.

Authorities ordered residents in parts of Carpinteria and Montecito to leave early on Sunday as the Thomas Fire edged closer to Santa Barbara, about 100 miles (160 km) northwest of Los Angeles on the scenic central California coast.

The blaze, the worst of six major fires in Southern California in the last week and already the 10th largest on record in the state since 1932, has blackened 173,000 acres (62,726 hectares), destroyed hundreds of structures and left nearly 90,000 homes and businesses without power.

The combination of Santa Ana winds and rugged terrain in the mountains that run through Santa Barbara and Ventura counties have hampered firefighting efforts, and officials said the Thomas Fire was only 15 per cent contained on Sunday.

The National Weather Service said winds of up to 55 miles (88 km) per hour were expected on Sunday evening, up from gusts of 40 miles per hour on Saturday.

The fires burning across Southern California have forced the evacuation of some 200,000 people and destroyed nearly 800 structures.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A raging wildfire pushed toward a string of California coastal cities on Sunday, December 10, prompting new evacuations as crews fought to save homes in the face of gusty winds that have fueled blazes across the state for nearly a week

A raging wildfire pushed toward a string of California coastal cities on Sunday, December 10, prompting new evacuations as crews fought to save homes in the face of gusty winds that have fueled blazes across the state for nearly a week. Authorities ordered residents in parts of Carpinteria and Montecito to leave early on Sunday as the Thomas Fire edged closer to Santa Barbara, about 100 miles (160 km) northwest of Los Angeles on the scenic central California coast. The blaze, the worst of six major fires in Southern California in the last week and already the 10th largest on record in the state since 1932, has blackened 173,000 acres (62,726 hectares), destroyed hundreds of structures and left nearly 90,000 homes and businesses without power. The combination of Santa Ana winds and rugged terrain in the mountains that run through Santa Barbara and Ventura counties have hampered firefighting efforts, and officials said the Thomas Fire was only 15 per cent contained on Sunday. The National Weather Service said winds of up to 55 miles (88 km) per hour were expected on Sunday evening, up from gusts of 40 miles per hour on Saturday. The fires burning across Southern California have forced the evacuation of some 200,000 people and destroyed nearly 800 structures.

California wildfire rages toward scenic coastal communities

Raging forest fires in central Chile have killed 10 people, displaced thousands and destroyed entire villages, the government said on Thursday.

Multiple blazes fueled by strong wind and drought conditions have ravaged 273,000 hectares (680,000 acres) in just over a week.

The latest fatality was a fireman killed when a tree fell on his truck in the Biobio region 550 kilometres (340 miles) south of the capital Santiago, the regional government said.

So far five firefighters, two policemen and three local residents have been killed while battling the blazes.

Frantic locals have been joining in efforts to tackle the fire to save their homes, animals and farmland.

President Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday ordered extra funds to fight what she called the country&#39;s worst-ever forest fires.

At least 4,000 people were evacuated earlier this week, the National Emergency Office said. More than 4,000 emergency workers are battling the blaze, with the help of water-dumping aircraft.

More hot and windy weather in the forecast raised fears the fires will continue to spread.

The fires have struck mainly in sparsely populated rural areas in the central regions of O&#39;Higgins and El Maule.

Foreign minister Heraldo Munoz said the United States, Canada and various other countries have offered help.

Fires are common in Chile&#39;s parched woods during the southern hemisphere&#39;s summer. Most are caused by human activity. But this year was considered worse because of a drought attributed by environmentalists to climate change.

(AFP)

President Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday ordered extra funds to fight what she called the country's worst-ever forest fires

Raging forest fires in central Chile have killed 10 people, displaced thousands and destroyed entire villages, the government said on Thursday. Multiple blazes fueled by strong wind and drought conditions have ravaged 273,000 hectares (680,000 acres) in just over a week. The latest fatality was a fireman killed when a tree fell on his truck in the Biobio region 550 kilometres (340 miles) south of the capital Santiago, the regional government said. So far five firefighters, two policemen and three local residents have been killed while battling the blazes. Frantic locals have been joining in efforts to tackle the fire to save their homes, animals and farmland. President Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday ordered extra funds to fight what she called the country's worst-ever forest fires. At least 4,000 people were evacuated earlier this week, the National Emergency Office said. More than 4,000 emergency workers are battling the blaze, with the help of water-dumping aircraft. More hot and windy weather in the forecast raised fears the fires will continue to spread. The fires have struck mainly in sparsely populated rural areas in the central regions of O'Higgins and El Maule. Foreign minister Heraldo Munoz said the United States, Canada and various other countries have offered help. Fires are common in Chile's parched woods during the southern hemisphere's summer. Most are caused by human activity. But this year was considered worse because of a drought attributed by environmentalists to climate change. (AFP)

Chile wildfires kill 10 people, displace thousands

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