Firefighters battled deadly forest fires in Valparaiso, Chile for a second night after coastal winds whipped up the flames again.

At least 12 people were killed and 500 injured as the blaze swept through the hills above the city, destroying 2,000 homes and forcing 10,000 people to flee.

city smoke
A huge cloud of smoke from a forest fire engulfs Valparaiso in Chile Reuters

Fires emergency services thought they had under control were reignited by Sunday afternoon's winds and raged out of control, threatening to spread to more areas of the city.

The blaze began in a forested ravine next to ramshackle housing on one of Valparaiso's 42 hilltops, and spread rapidly. Hot ash rained down over wooden houses and narrow streets. Electricity failed as the fire grew, turning the night sky orange and reducing suburbs on six hilltops to ashes.

city terrace
People watch as part of Valparaiso is destroyed by fire Reuters
fire house
A house goes up in flames Reuters
inferno
Firefighters aim a jet of water onto a huge wall of flames AFP
flee family
People flee after the fire shot up again in an area of Valparaiso AFP
flee fear
A couple and their baby react in horror after the fire was reignited in part of the city AFP
firefighters
Two firefighters investigate an area while a huge fire consumes hillside properties Reuters
resident window
A resident watches through his window as a forest fire approaches Reuters
water
Residents throw buckets of water onto the flames as the forest fire approaches their properties Reuters
helicopter
An helicopter drops water onto the blaze Reuters
fire hills
A forest fire rages in one of the hills surrounding Valparaiso Reuters
embers
Properties in the hills above Valparaiso are reduced to glowing embers Reuters
aftermath
Residents survey the damage and sort through the remnants of houses in Valparaiso Reuters
aftermath body
Residents and rescue workers remove a body after a fire ripped through a residential area of the city Reuters
rescue worker
An exhausted rescue worker takes a break Reuters
aftermath family
A family sits amid the ruins of their house in an area ravaged by fire AFP
donkey
A volunteer gives water to a donkey caught up in the inferno Reuters