PowerPoint Show by Andrew

The Chilean government has asked for international assistance and declared a state of emergency in some southern regions, after the worst forest fires in the nation’s history have destroyed hundreds of thousands of acres of forest, forced thousands to flee, and burned villages and farms to the ground.

Decades of drought have worsened this year’s fire season, leading to as many as 85 major fires burning concurrently across Chile today, overwhelming local agencies.

Fire is seen along a road in the town of Hualane during a big forest fire, on the outskirts of the Curico city, Chile, on January 21, 2017.

A villager watches a forest fire in the town of Florida in the Biobio region of Chile on January 23, 2017.

A forest fire in Vichuquen, 283 km south of Santiago, on January 24, 2017.

A man stands with his face covered in Santa Olga, Chile, on January 26, 2017.

Fire is seen on a hill in a town called Pirque, on the outskirts of Santiago, Chile, on January 20, 2017.

Firefighters work to put out a fire in Pumanque, on January 21, 2017.

Firefighters are pictured during a forest fire in the town of Florida in the Biobio region of Chile on January 23, 2017.

Smoke from forest fires is seen rising above a town called Pumanque in the O’Higgins region of Chile on January 20, 2017.

People react to the advancement of a forest fire in Hualañe, a community in Concepcion, Chile, on January 25, 2017.

Villagers are seen during a forest fire in the town of Litueche in the O'Higgins region on January 24, 2017.

Villagers are seen with their belongings in the street, after they left their houses because of a forest fire in the town of Vichuquen on January 25, 2017.

Firefighters work to put out a forest fire in Pumanque, 140 km south of Santiago on January 21, 2017.

Firefighters walk down a ladder while working to control a fire in Valparaiso, Chile, on January 2, 2017.

A firefighter covers a baby with a mask next to his mother during a forest fire in the town of Penco in the Concepcion region, on January 25, 2017.

A villager is seen carrying his belongings next to a car along a street, after fleeing his house during a forest fire in the town of Santa Olga in the Maule region of Chile on January 25, 2017.

A farmer is seen outside of his house during a forest fire in the town of Empedrado, in the Maule region of Chile on January 24, 2017.

A man stands in front of a burned house and a dead dog in Santa Olga, Chile, on January 26, 2017.

Smoke from the forest fire is seen from the town of Penco on January 25.

A forest fire is seen in a hill of the town of Cajon del Maipo, January 24.

A man helps put out a fire in Pumanque, on January 21, 2017.

A firefighter stands next to burned houses after a forest fire in the town of Nirivilo in the Maule region on January 25, 2017.

In this January 21, 2017 photo, a forest fire burns in Pumanque, Chile.

People watch the city of Santiago blanketed by smoke on January 20, 2017.

People react while standing next to burnt homes as the worst wildfires in Chile's modern history in Santa Olga, Chile, on January 26, 2017.