Fleeing the fires in Chile

ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION)

STORY: Firefighters continue battling several forest fires that have been raging just outside Santiago since last week.

The blazes have consumed some 520 hectares in the mountainous area outside the capital, putting residents on high alert and forcing some 40 families to evacuate.

Barely one hour away from downtown Santiago, fires burned throughout the Maipo Canyon. Firefighting helicopters flew over the area as firefighters, volunteers and residents removed fire-fueling brush from the mountainsides.

According to Erick Dreckmann, the regional head of the National Forest Corporation (CONAF), high temperatures, low humidity and steady winds fueled the flames last week, overwhelming the first fire brigades that responded.

However, he said that additional equipment and resources have allowed the crews to gain some control over the fires.

Authorities are predicting that three of the fires will be completely under contro