Winds fan bush blaze but forecast brings relief

SYDNEY — High temperatures and strong winds have fueled large grass and bush fires in Australia, officials said on Monday, reducing dozens of houses to ash and killing cattle.

Up to 70 homes and buildings were damaged or destroyed in the picturesque seaside village of Tathra on the south coast of New South Wales when a fire tore through the area on Sunday.

About 40,000 hectares were also scorched in southwestern regions of neighboring Victoria

Despite the damage, authorities said there were no reports of serious injuries or deaths.

“It was an absolutely awful set of circumstances yesterday afternoon for the community of Tathra, dominated by this very hot, dry air and these very strong winds,” NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told Sky News Australia on Monday. “We saw literally hundreds of ember showers landing in and around the community of Tathra, burning in-between the streets.”

The fires flared up as southeastern Australia was hit by a

bout of unseasonably warm weather, with gusting winds fanning the large blazes.

Experts said the infernos showed the bush fire season — which usually occurs in the summer months of DecemberFebruary — was lengthening as climate change disrupts weather patterns.

In Tathra, over 1,000 hectares were burned and more than 60 firefighters were continuing

to battle the flames on Monday, supported by three water-bombing aircraft, said NSW Rural Fire Service spokesman Greg Allan.

In Victoria, Premier Daniel Andrews said the “unprecedented” force of the fires had claimed at least 18 homes.

“The size of this fire, its absolute intensity, how fast running it was and of course at night, we are all very fortunate that we are not talking about serious injury or loss of life,” he told reporters.

Firefighters were hopeful they could contain three remaining blazes in the region as the weather became milder, Andrews added. Cooler conditions and rain were also forecast for Tathra, Fitzsimmons said.