Campsites, wineries and tourist attractions have been evacuated as bushfires rage again in southwest Australia, threatening lives and homes in what is seen as an ominous start to the summer fire season. The fires, which started on Wednesday morning around the wine-growing area and historic tourist town of Margaret River, 170 miles south of Perth, have already scorched nearly 15,000 acres of land. SponsoredAt least one person is missing and officials said it was a “miracle” that no deaths have been confirmed. Fierce winds have hindered the efforts of 200 firefighters to contain the head fire — the fastest spreading part of the blaze — which crossed containment lines on Thursday. “Weather conditions are making suppressing efforts difficult,” Brad Barton, a fire incident controller, said

Source: The Times December 11, 2021 01:02 UTC