The fires, unprecedented for Australia in terms of duration and intensity, have claimed 28 lives and killed an estimated billion animals. Sustained hot weather and rare periods of light rain in the affected areas have deepened the crisis. "Although this rain won't extinguish all fires, it will certainly go a long way towards containment." Great to see some rain fall in Australia 👌 pic.twitter.com/GsiOFYOqXO — JayLFC (@Jasonbranagan11) January 16, 2020Clear airSmoke from bushfires choked the southern city of Melbourne from Monday to Wednesday, disrupting the build-up to next week's Australian Open tennis tournament. But thunderstorms late Wednesday cleared the smoke, with the wet weather moving east throughout Thursday towards fires in the southern state of Victoria.

Source: Dhaka Tribune January 16, 2020 14:37 UTC