Fires
“Monster fire” rages in the Australian state of Victoria
The fierce bushfire can be seen from a distance in the Australian city of Ballarat. photo
© Beaufort Park Cafe/AAP/dpa
Firefighters are battling massive bushfires in several Australian states. One is completely out of control.
In the Australian state of Victoria, thousands of people are fleeing a huge… Bush fire. Residents of almost 30 communities were asked to immediately seek safety from the out-of-control fire, the AAP news agency reported, citing emergency services.
The broadcaster “9News” spoke of a “monster fire” that was quickly moving towards suburbs of the city of Ballarat, which is about 120 kilometers northwest of the metropolis of Melbourne. Around 1,000 firefighters were deployed to fight the flames, it was said. However, extremely high temperatures and strong winds made extinguishing work difficult. “The fire situation will get worse before it gets better,” warned Fire Chief Jason Heffernan.
Emergency services also battled several fires in extreme heat on the island of Tasmania, for example in the Bradys Lake area in the Central Highlands. An emergency warning has been issued for the community of Dee and the surrounding area. About 20 aircraft and dozens of firefighters tried to bring the fire under control.