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Bushfires in Australia
Dozens of bushfires are sweeping the Australian states of Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales, fanned by hot weather and strong winds.
Officials say an unknown number of homes have been destroyed and a firefighter has been injured in the state of Victoria.
Some residents have been ordered to leave and flames have spread to the outer suburbs of Australia’s second biggest city, Melbourne.
Conditions in Victoria are at their worst since 2009, authorities said.
Then, wildfires killed 173 people and destroyed about 2,000 homes in a disaster dubbed Black Saturday.
Dozens of bushfires are sweeping the Australian states of Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales, fanned by hot weather and strong winds
Emergency crews are also fighting blazes in South Australia and New South Wales.
More than 70 fires are burning across Victoria and 15 emergency warnings are in effect, with up-to-date local information available on the Vic Emergency website.
Hundreds of firefighters and dozens of fire engines are battling the blazes.
Fire authorities are worried about the threat posed to the coal-fired 1,600-megawatt Hazlewood Power Station in Latrobe Valley, local media reported.
Homes have been lost in the Melbourne suburbs of Warrandyte and Mickleham, and in Gisborne some 30 miles north-west of the city.
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Australian fire fighters deliberately joined up two large fires near the Blue Mountains as part of efforts to control bushfires across New South Wales.
Extensive back-burning operations were being deployed in anticipation of worsening conditions on Wednesday, the New South Wales fire commissioner said.
On Tuesday morning more than 60 blazes were still alight, with 13 uncontained.
The region experienced light rain on Tuesday, but fire fighters say this will not be enough to quench the fires.
New South Wales declared a state of emergency on Sunday, after being caught in some of the region’s worst fires in years.
NSW Rural Fire Services Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said that the fires at State Mine and Mount Victoria had “been deliberately and tactically joined” to try and prevent them from merging with a third fire at Springwood.
Australian fire fighters deliberately joined up two large fires near the Blue Mountains as part of efforts to control bushfires across New South Wales
“We are seeing positive results of these very deliberate, very targeted, very decisive strategies being deployed particularly in relation to back-burning operations… particularly in light of [Wednesday’s] weather conditions.”
The emergency fire at State Mine has been downgraded to “watch and act” after some light rain at the fire zone.
However, Shane Fitzsimmons added that “there’s still a way to go” and that fire fighters would be braced for higher temperatures and stronger winds expected on Wednesday.
“We have got now probably 24 hours before we see the worst of the weather starting to develop and build across all these fire ground areas,” he said. The conditions on Wednesday would be “about as bad as it gets”.
A “fairly active storm cell” was heading towards the back end of the Blue Mountains, which could bring on stronger winds and “erratic weather behavior”, he added.
More than 1,500 fire fighters were tackling the blazes on Tuesday.
All schools in the Blue Mountains, and some schools in other affected areas, will be closed on Wednesday.
One man has died – possibly of a heart attack – while trying to protect his home. Hundreds of people have been left homeless by the bushfires.
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Australian firefighters battling destructive bushfires in New South Wales are preparing for worsening conditions in the next few days.
The return of hot weather and strong winds is expected to fan the flames – the worst in the state for 40 years.
New South Wales Premier Barry O’Farrell declared a State of Emergency on Sunday and several areas are being evacuated.
The Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, has been the worst-hit region with some fires still raging out of control.
Australian firefighters battling destructive bushfires in New South Wales are preparing for worsening conditions in the next few days
About 200 homes have already been destroyed and hundreds of people have been left homeless.
One man has died – possibly of a heart attack – while trying to protect his home.
After several cooler days, forecasters are predicting the return of unseasonably hot weather – with temperatures reaching 86F and higher.
“We are likely to see deteriorating conditions starting this afternoon (Sunday) as we’ve already been acutely aware of, but more so as we move into Monday and Tuesday,” Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said.
An emergency warning was issued for the Blue Mountains village of Bell on Sunday morning.
Residents were urged to evacuate or to take shelter “in a solid structure when the fire front arrives”.
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Australian authorities are investigating whether a military training exercise using explosives may have started one of the huge bush fires burning in the state of New South Wales.
The exercise took place at a base near the town of Lithgow in the Blue Mountains region on Wednesday.
It was the same day that a massive bush fire – which is still burning – began.
About 200 homes have been destroyed in dozens of fires which have been burning for several days.
This year’s fires have come unusually early after unseasonably hot weather, and many are fearing a long and dangerous summer.
One man has died – possibly of a heart attack – while trying to protect his home.
The Australian Defense Force issued a statement about the fire burning between Lithgow and Bilpin, some 50 miles north-west of Sydney, which is reported to have burned through 74,000 acres and destroyed properties.
Australian authorities are investigating whether a military training exercise using explosives may have started one of the huge bush fires burning in the state of New South Wales
It said it was investigating the circumstances of the fire, which began on defense land.
“The fire started on 16 October, the same day that defense personnel were conducting an explosive ordnance training activity,” the statement said.
“Defense is investigating if the two events are linked.
“Our thoughts are with those who have lost property or whose property is threatened by these devastating fires.”
Firefighters have been trying to make the most of a relatively cool day to tackle about 20 fires that are burning out of control, but higher temperatures and strong winds are expected to create difficult conditions in the coming days.
New South Wales Rural Fire Service Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers said Saturday’s conditions were a “pause”, but that the fire perimeter stretched for more than 300 miles.
“We’re by no means out of the woods,” he told broadcaster ABC.
“It’s just calmed down a little bit and obviously we’re bracing ourselves for these worsening conditions.”
Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said some of the fires were so large they would take some time to completely extinguish.
“Firefighters will be working on these fires for weeks,” he said.
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