Five thousand hectares of woodland have been ravaged by a fire that remains out of control in the Chilean Patagonian national park Torres del Paine, Chilean authorities confirmed Friday. The flames are destroying some 1,500 hectares of forest each dayin the park, which is home to the guanaco, the South Andean deerknown as huemul and the condor, among other species. The fire is affecting a remote area of the park, and with wind blowing at up to 100 kilometres an hour it will be difficult to control the flames. A 120-strong team of Chilean and Argentine firemen and soldiers have been battling the flames, although the government of Chilean President Sebastian Pinera has said that the number will be doubled in the coming hours and that fire helicopters will also be deployed.
