Australia firefighters prepare for worst as hot weather returns
Print Edition
Australian firefighters worked desperately yesterday to contain massive wildfires burning in mountains west of Sydney, but with forecasts of high winds and hot weather, authorities fear more houses and lives will be lost.
More than 200 homes have been destroyed in New South Wales state since last Thursday, when fires tore through scattered communities on Sydney’s outskirts, razing entire streets. One man died after suffering a heart attack trying to protect his home.
“The forecast and scenario for tomorrow is about as bad as it gets. On days like tomorrow there is a very real potential for more loss of homes and loss of life,” said New South Wales Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons.
Sixty fires were burning yesterday, with the largest and most dangerous in the Blue Mountains around 100 kilometers west of Sydney.
The fires are expected to flare today with the return of temperatures in the mid-30 degree Celsius range and winds gusting up to 100kph.
Sydney and its surrounding regions have been given an “extreme fire danger rating” for today. Fitzsimmons urged everyone who does not need to be in the Blue Mountains to be out of the area by lunchtime.
Authorities ordered schools in the Blue Mountains to be closed today and evacuated nursing homes in the area.
“Tomorrow is going to be the worst of the fire weather days. Whatever results from the run of these fires we will seek to deal with and deal with the absolute focus of life preservation and the saving of as much property as we can,” Fitzsimmons said.
But Fitzsimmons told mountain residents not to expect a fire truck to save their homes as they may not be able to reach everyone in time.
The early season fires have burned through more than 120,000 hectares and have a perimeter of some 1,600 kilometers. Air pollution in parts of Sydney spiked to dangerously high levels as smoke and ash blanketed the city yesterday.
The insurance council of Australia said claims of more than A$93 million (US$90 million) were expected to grow and the NSW government has declared a state of emergency enabling it to order evacuations.
Thousands of firefighters, including some from New Zealand and from other Australian states, had joined the battle, using hundreds of fire engines and 90 aircraft.
Police have arrested several children suspected of starting a number of different fires. Other fires were sparked by power lines arcing in strong winds, according to the fire service.
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