Chile fire: Amazing pictures show full force of huge blaze that killed two and destroyed hundreds of homes as it rips through city of Valparaiso

  

The Independent

A massive forest fire has raged through the Chilean port city of Valparaiso, killing at least two people and destroying hundreds of homes, officials have confirmed.

Thousands of people have been evacuated, including more than 200 female inmates at a prison.
Firefighters were having difficulty combating the blaze because of the topography of the city, which is surrounded by dozens of steep hills where most people live.

President Michelle Bachelet has declared the city a catastrophe zone, which puts the armed forces in charge of maintaining order and evacuating thousands of people affected by the smoke and flames.

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