Big fire has ACT on edge

The Australian Capital Territory has declared a state of emergency because of an out-of-control bushfire burning erratically to its south – the first fire emergency for the area since 2003, when wildfires killed four people and destroyed almost 500 homes in a single day.

The threat is posed by the Orroral Valley bushfire on Canberra’s southern fringe, which has razed more than 21,500 hectares since it was sparked by heat from a military helicopter landing light on Monday.

‘‘The state of emergency sets a clear expectation for our community that we need you to be vigilant,’’ Emergency Services Minister Mick Gentleman said. ‘‘This is the worst bushfire season in the ACT since 2003.’’

The fire is burning at emergency level – the highest on a three-tier scale of danger. Embers had created dangerous spot fires nearby, Emergency Services Agency officials said.

Residents of southern Can- berra suburbs and surrounding villages have been advised to prepare to either protect their homes or evacuate.

Roads were blocked to the village of Tharwa late on Friday because the fire posed too much danger for residents to evacuate or return to their homes.

The fire is the most dangerous of dozens of blazes burning in Australia’s drought-stricken southeast. Unprecedented fires across southern Australia have claimed at least 33 lives since September, destroyed more than 3000 homes and razed more than 10.6 million ha.

The fire danger is forecast to escalate across the southeast in the ACT, New South Wales and Victoria as summer temperatures rise over the weekend.

The state of emergency gives Canberra’s local government additional powers to block roads, direct people’s movements and control their property, and undertake firefighting work on private land.