Wildfires sweeping through one of South America's most famous national parks are devastating thousands of acres of pristine habitat. So far, more than 21,000 acres of Torres del Paine have been destroyed by blazes that have yet to be brought under control.
The park is one of Chile's major wilderness attractions, drawing 200,000 tourists a year, and the government has described the fires as a major environmental disaster. Torres del Paine is a Unesco Biosphere Reserve and home to rare wildlife including pumas, pygmy owls, flamingo, Andean condors and 14 other birds of prey. In southern Chilean Patagonia, it is famous for its birdlife, soaring granite pinnacles and lakes vividly coloured by different hues of rock flour.