Easter Island rebounds from wildfire that damaged famous statues

October fire blackened with soot monolithic human figures, of which there are more than 900, carved centuries ago

The hillside of Rano Raraku volcano on Rapa Nui feels like a place that froze in time.

Embedded in grass and volcanic rock, almost 400 moai – the monolithic human figures carved centuries ago by this remote Pacific island’s Rapanui people – remained untouched until recently. Some are buried from the neck down, the heads seemingly observing their surroundings from the underground.