Heavy rain and storms have in recent days swept across New South Wales (NSW) state, which bore the brunt of a crisis that engulfed several states and territories at its peak. Hawkesbury City Mayor Barry Calvert said the dousing of the massive Gospers Mountain fire this week was a huge relief. The Bureau of Meteorology in January said rains sufficient enough to extinguish the fires was unlikely until at least March. Heavy rain was also forecast in Victoria for coming days, although officials expect it to dampen, rather than extinguish, many of the fires. In Queensland state, which also saw heavy rainfalls, just one fire remains ablaze, while nine fires are alight in South Australia south.

Source: CBC News February 11, 2020 14:48 UTC