Two Australian states are bracing for a day of "catastrophic" risk as firefighters battle over 100 deadly active bushfires that have produced clouds of smoke seen as far away as New Zealand. Thousands of people are in the paths of the blazes in the states of Queensland and New South Wales, which have both declared a state of emergency. On Tuesday morning, state authorities warned that although the situation was "calm" at the moment, eastern Australia was still facing a "very long and very dangerous day ahead." Strong winds, high temperatures, and low humidity could provide perfect conditions for dozens of fires to spread further today.
The "catastrophic" warning is the worst threat level ever issued for New South Wales' capital, Sydney, under the current system, which was introduced in 2009. The city is home to around 4.6 million people, but the greatest fire risk lies in rural areas outside the city center. They include the greater Hunter area, Illawarra, and Shoalhaven, which are also facing "catastrophic" fire threats. As of Tuesday morning, 57 fires were burning across New South Wales, the fire service said. A state-wide fire ban will remain in place on Tuesday, preventing people from lighting open fires and engaging in activities that could start a fire, like welding and grinding. Offenders risk on-the-spot fines of 2,200 Australian dollars ($1,500). Hundreds of schools in fire risk regions will be closed on Tuesday, according to local media. As of Tuesday, around 50 fires were raging across the northern state of Queensland. Australia is experiencing one of its worst droughts in decades. The hot, dry weather has created a huge amount of fuel for the fires, which are being fanned by strong winds.
No comments:
Post a Comment