AP news reported on a HUGE forest fire affecting Torres Del Paine park-I have a friend who left yesterday on her trip with the express purpose of going there-I wont know the details until she gets back but I thought this might be valuable information for those travelling there.

Any tourists in the area who wished to be evacuated from the park were given that opportunity. Most of the park is fine for trekking but part of the W has been closed. The area between Lago Grey and Pehoe is affected. Visitors are being told where they are safe to go and where is off limits.

The park is now closed until further notice, probably all of January. Since this fire has started in one of the busiest parts of the park, no one can say when the trails will reopen or what condition they will be in.

There is a possibility of parts of the park being opened this week. The government is evaluating it and has not yet given any details.

The park will open tomorrow morning. Not all areas will be accessible. It is mainly the northern sector which will be open.

The northern sector is basically the hotel Las Torres and the hostels and camps run by Fantastico Sur. In this sector you hike to the towers, but you will not have classic views of the Cuernos from the catamaran or the road that runs along south side of the park.
Photos from my trip in 2009. https://picasaweb.google.com/kiwifan...ikeToTheTowers
https://picasaweb.google.com/kiwifan...lPaineCuernos#


Fodorites typically stay at Explora which remains closed.

Fantastico Sur has updated their website

http://fslodges.com/en/torres-del-pa...del-paine.html

I saw a post on another forum by someone saying what their tour operator had told them. They were offering French valley and photo opportunities at Lago Grey!

It will be interesting to see how the authorities keep people where they want them in the park.