Flames surround Argentinian city as residents are evacuated

Wall of fire: Terrifying footage shows flames surrounding Argentinian city of Villa Carlos Paz as residents besieged by acrid smog are evacuated

• Flames engulfed the Cordoba region of Argentina as wildfires raged across 
• People frantically evacuated the resort city, which has a population of 56,000 
• Almost 1,000 firefighters are working to fight the fast-moving wildfires

Terrifying footage has shown a wall of fire surrounding an Argentinian city as a wild inferno sparked massive evacuations.

Almost 1,000 firefighters were deployed across Villa Carlos Paz in central Cordoba province as the wildfires raged out of control.

Footage from the area showed massive flames in hills surrounding populated areas as firefighters battled the flames that had reached some homes in the region.

It was not immediately clear how many homes had been affected but dozens of people have been evacuated.

Ulises Xarate, 27, is in custody accused of starting a fire on Monday afternoon in an area close to the city of Villa Carlos Paz in the province’s Punilla region.

He reportedly told cops he wanted to start a campfire to make coffee but lost control of the flames due to the strong winds in the area.

Video from the Argentinian province shows a ‘wall of fire’ rapidly engulfing the city in black smoke (pictured: Villa Carlos Paz)

Evacuations are underway in Argentina’s central Cordoba province as wildfires in the area rage out of control

Other footage of the wildfires shows residents frantically evacuating in cars or even on bikes as they race to escape the flames

People have been evacuated from their homes and the provincial government said it had sent trucks with potable waters, food, mattresses and blankets for residents of the affected areas

Ulises Xarate, 27, is in custody accused of starting a fire on Monday afternoon in an area close to the city of Villa Carlos Paz in the province’s Punilla region

Xarate reportedly told cops he wanted to start a campfire to make coffee but lost control of the flames due to the strong winds in the area.

Cordoba Gov. Juan Schiaretti said: ‘I call on the population to respect the indications of the firefighters and authorities who are working in the affected areas. The most important thing is to save lives, wherever evacuation is necessary, it will be done.’ 

The local government said it had sent trucks with potable waters, food, mattresses and blankets for residents of the affected areas.

There were five active wildfires in the region Tuesday, according to Argentina’s National Fire Management Service.

There was hope that rains expected Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning could help calm the fires that had spread rapidly due to strong winds. 

Forests on the outskirts of Villa Carlos Paz are seeing violent forest fires swallow the city’s surrounding areas in flames and firefighters are under immense pressure to try and gain control of the quickly spreading disaster. 

‘We request that prevention measures be taken to the highest degree, as the weather conditions are adverse,’ Cordoba’s Government and Security Minister Julián López wrote on social media. 

There were five active wildfires in the region Tuesday, according to Argentina’s National Fire Management Service

There was hope that rains expected Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning could help calm the fires that had spread rapidly due to strong winds

Argentina’s drought has made the issue even worse by providing plenty of dry land for the wildfires to swallow up and erupt straight through

New outbreaks of wildfires were activated and others restarted after wind from the mountain rages of the Punilla Valley intensified

Villa Carlos Paz is supposed to be a resort city and the population is thought to be around 56,000. The tourist destination recently saw temperatures as high as 91 degrees Fahrenheit and it’s also in the middle of a serious drought

New outbreaks of wildfires were activated and others restarted after wind from the mountain rages of the Punilla Valley intensified.

There are concerns about how the wildfires are going to be contained in areas that are hard to reach.

Argentina’s drought has made the issue even worse by providing plenty of dry land for the wildfires to swallow up and erupt straight through. 

Villa Carlos Paz is supposed to be a resort city and the population is thought to be around 56,000. 

The tourist destination recently saw temperatures as high as 91 degrees Fahrenheit and it’s also in the middle of a serious drought which began three years ago.

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