Aussie bushfires to get worse
‘Catastrophe’ threatens Sydney after communities devastated
TAREE: Sydney is facing a “catastrophic” fire threat, authorities said, as firefighters in eastern Australia raced to prepare for worsening conditions after ferocious bushfires devastated communities.
Fires have killed three people and razed more than 150 homes since Friday, but cooler weather overnight provided a welcome reprieve for firefighters and residents.
Authorities were assessing the damage yesterday, with more than 100 fires still burning across New South Wales and Queensland, including several blazes that remained out of control.
Wider swathes of the states – including greater Sydney – are now bracing for perilous fire conditions predicted for the coming days, as is
Western Australia state.
It is the first time Sydney has been warned of a “catastrophic” fire danger, the highest possible level, since the grading system was introduced in 2009.
Massive fires tore through several towns on Friday and Saturday.
The mayor of Glen Innes, where two people died, said residents were traumatised and still coming to terms with their losses.
“The fire was as high as 6m and raging with 80kph winds,” Carol Sparks told national broadcaster ABC.
Five people reported missing have been found, but the unpredictable nature of the disaster means officials have not ruled out the possibility that others could still be missing, NSW Rural Fire Service spokesperson Greg Allan said.
In Old Bar, which was spared the worst when the wind changed direction, hectares of bushland had turned charcoal and small pockets of flames continued to smoulder.