Massive forest fires in central Chile have killed at least 112 people, with the city of Viña del Mar being heavily affected, leaving 1,600 people homeless and 200 missing. President Gabriel Boric declared two days of national mourning and extended curfews in affected areas, while firefighters struggle to contain the blazes. Officials suspect some fires may have been intentionally set, and the El Niño weather pattern has exacerbated drought and high temperatures, increasing the risk of forest fires in western South America.
Intense forest fires in central Chile have claimed at least 46 lives and destroyed around 1,100 homes, with 92 fires currently burning in the country's central and southern regions due to unusually high temperatures. Evacuations are underway in the Valparaíso region, where fires have ravaged neighborhoods and led to blackouts, hospital and nursing home evacuations, and destruction of infrastructure. The El Niño weather pattern has exacerbated droughts and increased the risk of forest fires in the region.
Maritime traffic through Turkey's Dardanelles Strait has been suspended due to an ongoing forest fire in the northwestern province of Canakkale. The suspension affects vessels traveling between the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmara, disrupting a vital shipping route between Europe and Asia. Tugboats are on standby to assist firefighting efforts, and larger vessels will wait until Wednesday morning to navigate the strait in daylight. The fire has led to the evacuation of six villages in its path.
The Highway Fire in Nevada County is threatening homes in the town of Washington, prompting evacuation orders. The fire, which has burned 15 acres, started in the area of Washington Road and Highway 20. The cause of the fire is currently unknown, and multiple fire agencies are responding to the incident.
Swiss firefighters are battling a forest fire near the Italian border that has forced over 200 people to evacuate, with winds making containment difficult. The fire has spread to 100 hectares of forest and could take days or weeks to fully extinguish. Switzerland's warming climate, exacerbated by its distance from the ocean, has increased the risk of forest fires, and the country's Federal Office for the Environment warns that they could become more frequent. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
"Afire," the latest film from German filmmaker Christian Petzold, follows two 20-somethings, Leon and Felix, as they vacation at a beach house near an ongoing forest fire. The film explores the juxtaposition of youthful innocence and the looming presence of disaster, as the characters grapple with whether to stay or leave. While the movie is initially funny and focuses on the characters' personal struggles, it eventually delves into themes of vulnerability and transformation. The standout scene depicts the characters on the roof, gazing at the distant glow of the approaching inferno, capturing the uncertainty of being young in a world that's on fire.
A wildfire broke out in the Flatiron area of the Pinelands near Medford, New Jersey, threatening 40 homes but has not caused damage or injuries. The fire area has grown to 220 acres and is about 20% contained. Firefighters were working to establish containment lines to stop the fire from reaching homes. On the other end of the county, firefighters were making progress on the Allen Road fire in Bass River State Forest.
The Garden State Parkway in New Jersey has reopened after being closed due to smoke from a forest fire in Bass River State Forest. The southbound and northbound lanes have both reopened, but speed limits have been reduced in the area where smoke conditions remain between mileposts 48 and 52. The smoke has led to air quality alerts in New Jersey and Delaware.
Air quality alerts have been issued in 16 counties of New Jersey due to smoke from a large forest fire in Ocean County and high concentrations of ground-level ozone caused by hot temperatures. The alerts are effective through midnight Thursday in most of South Jersey and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday in many areas of northern central and southern New Jersey. Sensitive groups such as children, older senior citizens, or people suffering from asthma, heart disease or other lung diseases should avoid strenuous activities during the afternoon and early evening hours.
A wildfire in Halifax, Canada has led to mandatory evacuation orders for thousands of homes, impacting around 18,000 people. The fire has damaged dozens of homes and caused power outages, with residents not allowed to return until advised by municipal authorities. Forest fires also led to evacuations of about 400 homes in the province of New Brunswick over the weekend. The cause of the fire is still being probed and there are no reports of deaths or injuries.
Hundreds of firefighters are battling France's first major forest fire of the year, which has burned hundreds of hectares of land between Banyuls-sur-Mer and Cerbère on the Mediterranean coast and spread across the border into Spain. The blaze is being successfully contained, but fire crews have yet to completely stop its spread and put it out. More than 500 firefighters remain on hand.
Firefighters are battling to contain a 2,500-acre forest fire in Manchester Township, New Jersey, which has prompted mandatory evacuations of 170 structures and road closures. The cause of the fire is under investigation, and as of Wednesday morning, it was only 10% contained. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service is working alongside the fire department of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst to contain the blaze.
A 500-acre forest fire is currently raging in Manchester Township, Ocean County, New Jersey, with 25 structures being threatened. Crews from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Fire Department are working to contain the fire, which is burning on federal, state, and private property. A mandatory evacuation is in place on Division Street in Lakehurst, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Crews are battling a 500-acre forest fire in Manchester Township, New Jersey, which is 10% contained. A mandatory evacuation order was issued for residents on Division Street in Lakehurst. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and 25 structures are being threatened at this time.
A structure fire in Pickens County has turned into a forest fire, with nine different fire departments and the Pickens County Forestry Commission on the scene. Emergency Management reports that the fire on Cherokee Hills Road has been put out, but crews are still working on two other fires on Earls Bridge Road and Highway 183.
