Wildfires threaten Australian capital and southeast towns Wildfires are burning out of control near Australia’s national capital, Canberra, and across surrounding New South Wales state, with endangered residents warned to prepare to evacuateA helicopter drops water on a fire near Bumbalong, south of the Australian capital, Canberra, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)A helicopter drops water on a fire near Bumbalong, south of the Australian capital, Canberra, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft) The Associated PressCANBERRA, Austrralia -- Wildfires burned out of control near Australia’s national capital, Canberra, and across surrounding New South Wales state on Saturday, with endangered residents warned to prepare to evacuate. The capital region declared a state of emergency on Friday because of a fire that by Saturday covered 35,800 hectares (88,500 acres) of forest and farmland south of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Emergency Services Agency Commissioner Georgeina Whelan said. The continuing state of emergency is the first in the Australian Capital Territory since 2003, when wildfires killed four people and destroyed almost 500 homes in a single day.

Source: ABC News February 01, 2020 08:48 UTC