Egypt Independent

State of emergency as bushfires rage in Australia

A state of emergency was declared in Australia’s most populated region on Thursday as an unprecedented heatwave fanned out-of-control bushfires, destroying homes and smothering huge areas with a toxic smoke.



In New South Wales, Australia’s most populated state with Sydney as its capital, more than 100 bushfires were burning on Thursday, many of them out of control.

New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian declared a seven-day state of emergency, the second since the bushfire season began early in September, due to “catastrophic weather conditions”.

At Buxton, about 100 kilometres (62 miles) southwest of Sydney, longtime resident Paul Collins said a nearby bushfire that had destroyed dozens of buildings was “much worse” than in past years.

“It’s spread faster with the wind, and the bush and the ground is just so dry,” Collins told AFP, blaming climate change and a long-running drought for the worsening fires.

“It’s just a horrendous situation, really.”


Meanwhile, the roughly five million people of Sydney continued to choke on smoke from a “mega-blaze” ringing the city.

Public health emergency

Leading doctors have warned the smoke, which has shrouded Sydney for weeks, has created a “public health emergency”.


Vulnerable people in New South Wales have been urged by authorities to stay indoors amid worries the scorching heat combined with the toxic smoke could cause “severe illness, hospital admissions and even death”.

The heatwave has led to a series of extraordinary records.



Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Dean Narramore said the “dangerous and disastrous” heatwave was toppling dozens of “extraordinary” records across the country.

“We’re heading into a fifth or sixth day in a row where multiple places broke a record. And we’re likely to see 30 or 40 records around the country break,” he told the ABC.

Climate protests

The fires have sparked protests targeting Australia’s conservative government, which environmentalists accuse of promoting coal and other industries that belch out greenhouse gases that cause global warming.

On Thursday hundreds of climate protesters marched on Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s official residence in Sydney to demand curbs on greenhouse gas emissions.



Meanwhile, exhausted firefighters continued their battle on Thursday.

NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said a crew of five firefighters battling a “fast-moving” blaze had been injured after being “enveloped” by flames.


Fitzsimmons said some firefighters had been left “shattered” after losing their own homes while saving other properties.

“They and their families and colleagues are truly devastated by the loss,” he said. “It will be another very emotional, very draining day for our firefighters.”



Reporting by AFP

Image: Bushfires in Australia have destroyed hundreds of homes and claimed six lives (AFP/Peter Parks)