Fire in important Chilean port city
Pushed by strong Pacific coast winds, the fire started on Saturday and rampaged over 700 hectares (1,700 acres) of forest and hilly residential neighbourhoods including La Cruz and Las Canas, authorities said.
"It is still not completely extinguished," said local government official Ricardo Bravo, referring to lingering pockets of fire still burning in the higher parts of the city Sunday night.
During the day firefighters used planes and helicopters to drop water on the flames in the city 135 km (85 miles) northwest of Santiago, where makeshift shelters started taking in the newly homeless.
Valparaiso's rolling hills and closely spaced houses, many of them made of wood, make it difficult to combat fires. The city, part gritty port town and part bohemian retreat, has a large number of poor people.
By Sunday Valparaiso had become a stench-filled scene of smoke, ash and sirens as residents picked through their gutted properties.
Important port for export
Valparaiso is a very important port for fruit export. In the export season 2011-2012 the terminal has recorded a 16% year-on-year rise in fruit shipments for the 2011-12 export season. The U.S. and Europe accounted for 70% of grape shipments from Valparaiso that season, while apples were also one of the most-exported fruits to Europe.
The fruit and vegetable season runs from September to August. The busiest time is March which uses up 80% of the port’s capacity. The average annual figure is 49% of capacity.
Source: www.chicagotribune.com