AP, SYDNEYThree people yesterday died when a C-130 Hercules aerial water tanker crashed while battling wildfires in the Snowy Monaro region of Australia’s New South Wales, officials said. New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed the deaths and crash in comments to reporters, as Australia attempts to deal with an unprecedented fire season that has left a large swath of destruction. It’s crashed and there was a large fireball associated with that crash,” New South Wales Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said, adding that all three aboard were US residents. Also yesterday, the Canberra Airport closed because of nearby wildfires and residents south of Australia’s capital were told to seek shelter. A second fire near the airport, which started yesterday morning, is at the “watch and act” level.
