Bush fires sweep outskirts of Sydney

Ap
Saturday 09 November 2002 01:00 GMT
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Up to 10 homes and businesses were reportedly destroyed by a wildfire south-west of Sydney today as strong winds and dry conditions fed bush blazes across the region.

Rural Fire Service spokesman John Winter said the situation at Mittagong about 60 miles southwest of Sydney was "very grave".

"We believe five, possibly up to 10 residential homes and an unknown amount of industrial property were lost," said Winter. "Clearly it's been a very grave situation and crews in the area are talking about firestorm-like activity."

Thick black smoke hung over nearby towns as residents hosed down their roofs to fight off the flames.

Two large water-carrying helicopters were deployed to the area but failed to stop the fire.

One firefighter and several residents were treated for smoke inhalation, a spokeswoman for a local ambulance service said.

Almost 100 bush fires are burning across New South Wales state. Strong winds, high temperatures and low humidity combined to worsen the situation.

Some families were evacuated north of Sydney in the popular Hunter Valley wine region when fires threatened homes and vineyards. About 3,000 firefighters were battling various blazes across the state.

"The state is baking hot," New South Wales Premier Bob Carr said today. "I have never known it to be this hot from one end of the state to the other."

December to February is usually the season for bush fires in Australia. But because of a drought affecting 70 per cent of Australia, the fires started months ago.

Each southern hemisphere summer, searing heat often tops 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) and hot winds from the arid interior fan firestorms along the continent's heavily populated coastal fringe.

Last year, hundreds of fires burned out of control in and around Sydney during the Christmas and New Year period, destroying dozens of homes but causing no deaths or major injuries.

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