Raging forest fires kill at least 19 in Chile; toll expected to rise

Black smoke billowed into the sky over many parts of the Valparaiso region, home to nearly one million inhabitants in central Chile, while firefighters using helicopters and trucks struggled to quell the flames in the area. Throughout the country there were 92 active fires, leaving more than 43,000 hectares affected by the incident, Interior Minister Toha said. Wildfires are not uncommon in Chile over summer months and last year, on the back of a record heat wave, some 27 people died and more than 400,000 hectares were affected.