In the southeastern town of Mallacoota, around 4,000 residents fled toward the waterside as winds pushed an emergency-level wildfire towards their homes. Fire conditions worsened in Victoria and New South Wales states after oppressive heat Monday mixed with strong winds and lightning strikes. Samuel McPaul, 28, was the third volunteer firefighter in New South Wales to have died in the past two weeks. The city was granted an exemption to a total fireworks ban that is in place there and elsewhere to prevent new wildfires. The popular celebrations are expected to attract around a million spectators and generate 130 million Australian dollars ($91 million) for the state’s economy.

Source: thestar December 31, 2019 03:42 UTC