Firefighters were battled dozens of raging wildfires in Chile on Sunday, seeking to gain control of one of the country's worst natural disasters in years as the death toll rose to at least 24 with nearly 1,000 more injured.
The fires have consumed some 270,000 hectares, officials said on Sunday, or an area roughly the size of the U.S. state of Rhode Island.
Thirteen of the dead -- more than half of the fires' reported victims -- come from Biobio, which, like Nuble and Araucania, is home to extensive forests as well as farms that grow grapes and other fruit for export. She described a hurried effort to find a safe place to hunker down that included leaving behind vehicles, as well as imploring neighbors to join them in the pool.
Chilean officials have sought international assistance to battle the fires, with new ones sparking to life each day.
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