Czech Government Offers to Pay for Torres del Paine Forest Fire in Chile

Reuters reports the Czech government is offering to help pay for a fire at Chile’s most famous national park Torres del Paine in Patagonia after one of its citizen started it by kicking over a campstove. The fire burned in about 55 square miles out of the park’s total area of 700 square miles The imposing granite spires and vast glaciers in Torres del Paine are a magnet for foreign tourists, especially during the Southern Hemisphere summer from December-February. Dozens of campers were evacuated when the fire was at its height earlier this week. Smoke obscured the park’s spectacular views, but the fire never reached the most popular parts of the park, which lies near the bottom of the continent. Explorer Web reports that two climbers are still missing in the fire. There’s a lot of info on the park via Google.