IN BRIEF (Page 8)

ARGENTINA

Pampas wildfires under control

Firefighters said on Thursday they were bringing under control three wildfires that have devastated nearly a million hectares of the famous pampas, or plains. Driven by strong winds, high summer temperatures and drought, the fires sent huge swaths of farm and pasture land up in smoke in the provinces of La Pampa and Buenos Aires. It was started by a lightning strike on New Year's weekend.