SYDNEY — Thousands of tourists have been given less than 48 hours to evacuate fire-ravaged coastal communities as Australia braces for a heatwave Saturday expected to fan deadly bushfires. Catastrophic blazes ripped through swathes of the continent’s south-east on New Year’s Eve, killing at least eight people and stranding holidaymakers as seaside towns were ringed by flames. NSW Rural Fire Service deputy commissioner Rob Rogers said firefighters were unable to extinguish or even control the raging blazes. ADVERTISEMENTAuthorities still have not been able to reach some rural communities, such as the town of Genoa in Victoria. Navy ships and military aircraft have been deployed alongside emergency crews to provide humanitarian relief and assess the damage.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer January 01, 2020 23:26 UTC