Firefighters and security forces in Chile are battling deadly wildfires that have killed at least 21 people and destroyed vast areas of forests FLORIDA, Chile -- Firefighters and security forces battling blazes in Chile that have killed at least 21 people and ravaged swaths of forest this week faced other dangers, too, from attempted attacks to the threat of drone collisions.

LIRQUÉN, Chile (AP) -- The thick smoke hovering over the city is a grim reminder that the flames are still nearby. The devastating wildfires ravaging central and southern Chile show no signs of easing: they have already consumed about 450 square kilometers (170 square miles) of land and left at least 20 people dead, some 300 injured, tens of thousands evacuated, and an incalculable trail of destruction.

Santiago, Chile Reuters -- Chilean President Gabriel Boric announced a state of catastrophe in two regions in the south of the country early on Sunday as raging wildfires forced at least 20,000 people to evacuate and left at least 16 people dead.