Bushfires hit emergency level near Sydney as firefighters fear 'very dangerous day' for Australia

The Telegraph
Fires have torn through New South Wales where authorities warned of
Fires have torn through New South Wales where authorities warned of

Catastrophic conditions fueled massive bushfires across the Australian state of New South Wales on Saturday, with three blazes around Sydney burning at emergency level, while in South Australia one person was found dead in a fire zone.

The death followed another fatality in South Australia on Friday, the result of a car crash which sparked a fire. Authorities said one person had been found dead, another was critically injured and 15 homes had been destroyed by a fire in the Adelaide Hills, just 25 miles east of the state capital of Adelaide.

Some major roads outside Sydney were closed and authorities have asked people to delay travel at the start of what is normally a busy Christmas period, warning of the unpredictability of the fires as winds of up to 44mph were set to fan the flames.

Temperatures have soared above 40C (104F) and strong winds have created "catastrophic fire conditions", Shane Fitzsimmons, the NSW Rural Fire Services Commissioner said.

“They are the very worst of conditions. Given we have a landscape with so much active fire burning, you have a recipe for very serious concern and a very dangerous day."

Fires have torn through New South Wales where authorities warned of "catastrophic conditions" - Credit: David Gray/Getty Images
Fires have torn through New South Wales where authorities warned of "catastrophic conditions". People have been told not to travel for Christmas Credit: David Gray/Getty Images

Close to 100 fires were burning across the state on Saturday afternoon - of which six were characterised as emergency level.

Just days before Christmas, local police warned people to avoid travelling as roads would likely close and temperatures would soar.

Three blazes around Sydney are burning at emergency level - Credit: DAN HIMBRECHTS/EPA/REX
Three blazes around Sydney are burning at emergency level Credit: DAN HIMBRECHTS/EPA/REX

“Today is not the day to start your holiday,” a state police spokeswoman said.

About 10,000 emergency personnel are set to be working across the state on Saturday. David Elliott, the state's Minister for Police and Emergency Services, said it was probably the largest emergency deployment ever seen in New South Wales.

A southerly wind change is expected late on Saturday afternoon. It is forecast to bring winds of up to 56mph, which authorities said would initially worsen fire conditions before leading to a dramatic drop in temperatures.

The death of two firefighters on Thursday night when their fire truck was struck by a falling tree as it travelled through the front line of a fire brought the wildfires death toll in New South Wales to eight since the start of October.

Shortly after the two deaths were announced, Prime Minister Scott Morrison issued a statement saying he would return as soon as possible from a family holiday in Hawaii, a trip that had drawn sharp criticism as the wildfires crisis deepened.

In South Australia, authorities said fires had burnt through about 40,000 hectares in the state and 23 firefighters suffered injuries on Friday.

In Victoria, authorities said 142 fires had started in the state since Friday, with two burning at an emergency level on Saturday afternoon.

Australia has been fighting wildfires for weeks, with blazes destroying more than 700 homes and nearly 1.2million hectares of bushland.