WILDFIRES

SANTIAGO, Chile — President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe in two southern regions of Chile as fast-moving wildfires killed at least 16 people and forced nearly 20,000 residents to evacuate, authorities said. Chile’s national forestry agency, CONAF, reported 24 active fires burning across the country, with the largest and most dangerous blazes in the regions of Ñuble and Biobío, about 500 kilometers south of the capital. The emergency designation aims to speed the government’s response as crews contend with…

Australia declared a state of disaster in Victoria as fast-moving bushfires destroyed homes and scorched vast tracts of forest during a searing heatwave, with authorities warning dangerous conditions persist even as some fronts ease. Temperatures surged past 40C across the southeast this week, and hot, shifting winds fanned some of the most perilous fire weather since the Black Summer of 2019-2020. One of the fiercest blazes tore through almost 150,000 hectares near Longwood, a region known for dense native forests. Premier…

Wild spring heat and gale-force winds spark fires and chaos across Australia and New Zealand Immediate impact Wild, hot winds sweeping from Australia's interior into the southeast fanned dozens of bushfires and pushed spring temperatures to record highs in parts of Sydney, authorities said, as New Zealand faced rare "red" wind warnings and fires of its own across the Tasman. Australia's Bureau of Meteorology said a powerful plume of hot air that built over the outback on Monday was moving across the southeast, producing a…

The Cost of Accountability: Kenya’s Landmark Legal Battle with Britain NAIROBI, Kenya — The vast expanses of Lolldaiga Hills, home to resilient communities and rich biodiversity, have stood as silent witnesses to a historical shift in Kenya's legal landscape. For the first time, Britain has agreed to compensate Kenyans following military misconduct, an event that marks a turning point in the accountability of foreign forces operating abroad. A Fire’s Far-reaching Consequences In 2021, a persistent blaze engulfed more than…

Emergency responders are engaged in fierce battles against wildfires blazing on both the east and west coasts of the United States. Among these blazes is a tragic fire in New York and New Jersey. It claimed the life of a state parks worker and disrupted Veterans Day festivities. Meanwhile, in Southern California, another fire has wreaked havoc, leaving over 130 structures in ruins. Progress is being made against a wildfire located in Ventura County, just northwest of Los Angeles. This fire erupted last Wednesday and…

As forest fires blown by windy temperatures and dry-dry conditions flame through Algeria's Kabylie region, the death toll has risen further. At least 65 people, including 25 soldiers, have died in fires that broke out east of the Algerian capital Algiers, state television reported on Wednesday. Prime Minister Ayman Benabderrahmane had previously revealed that the death toll was 42 on Tuesday. He also told state television that the government had asked for help from the international community and was…