Fires that had appeared to be under control in the eastern Uruguayan province of Rocha revived Thursday when the wind shifted direction and flames began to destroy more land, officials said. Firefighters Wednesday had brought the fire under control near the Santa Teresa resort, about 310 kilometres from Montevideo, where a forest reserve and an 18th-century fortress are located. The region is close to the border with Brazil. But the wind suddenly changed direction, whipping up flames that began to scorch areas previously spared, firefighter spokesman Jorge Roqueta said. Firefighters from Brazil also joined the effort to control the flames. The fire, which broke out Monday, has destroyed at least 1,400 hectares and 60 homes in Punta del Diablo. More than 14,000 people, many of them Argentine tourists, were evacuated from the region. A newspaper reported that four people had been arrested on accusations of starting the fires. --SP 2342 Local Time 2042 GMT
