WINMALEE, Australia — Thousands of firefighters fanned out across eastern Australia Tuesday as gale-force winds, scorching temperatures and tinder-dry bushland brought “catastrophic” fire conditions. Dozens of bushfires were already burning out of control as temperatures were expected to climb toward 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) and winds were forecast to top 60 kilometers (40 miles) per hour in parts of New South Wales. You’re talking about a 1,000-kilometre fire perimeter.”West-to-east winds threatened to spread existing blazes from drought-stricken bushland to population centers on the coast. “Now is the time to exercise those decisions to leave, leave early and go to safer locations,” said Fitzsimmons. In New South Wales alone one million hectares — roughly the area of Jamaica — have already burned, three times more than the whole of the last season.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer November 12, 2019 02:10 UTC