Chile Fire: 100+ homes destroyed on Christmas Eve

By Staff, Agencies

A violent forest fire on Christmas Eve affected more than a hundred homes on a hill in the Chilean city of Valparaiso, some 120 km west of Santiago.

Inhabitants fled their homes in the middle of Christmas Eve festivities, some losing all their belongings and even pets. The blaze, fed by high Southern Hemisphere summer temperatures and strong winds, started in a forested area and spread to the city, firefighters said.

Valparaiso, known for its colorful wood-frame houses, is popular among tourists in the South American country.