Firefighters in Argentina were battling an "out of control" blaze in a national park in Patagonia on Saturday, struggling to keep it from reaching two nearby towns.
The fire in Los Alerces National Park -- a UNESCO World Heritage Site -- has already charred about 600 hectares (1500 acres).
"The fire is out of control," said Mario Cardenas, head of the park's fire, communications and emergency department.
Conditions are "unfavorable because we still have a lot of wind and high temperatures. This makes our work very difficult," he said.
Temperatures in Patagonia, a normally cold and windy region in Argentina's far south, have topped 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in the southern hemisphere summer, with two provinces declaring states of emergency due to fire risk until April.
Chubut province rescue workers were trying to block flames from reaching the towns of Esquel and Trevelin, about 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles) southwest of Buenos Aires.
Los Alerces Park features glacier-carved landscapes including rivers and lakes, and pristine forests of alerce trees, the second-longest living tree species in the world.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
Argentina Adds Ethereum Study to High School Curriculum in Buenos Aires Schools Injured Lionel Messi Ruled Out Of Argentina World Cup Qualifiers Metal Rod Foils Repetition of Argentina's 'Heist Of The Century' US Millionaire, Who Died By Suicide, Owed $34 Million With $8,000 In Bank Manipur Chief Minister Slams Tejashwi Yadav Over "Racist" Jab At Himanta Sarma UK's Seat Should Go To India: Ex-Diplomat On UN Security Council Reforms 8 Killed After Bus Carrying 47 Overturns In US State Of Mississippi: Report Trump "Disrespected Sacred Ground' At US Military Cemetery: Kamala Harris Top 10 US Universities Based On Forbes Rankings 2024 Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.