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SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Australia’s bushfires have burned so intensely that they have hurled smoke as far away as Chile. They have also created their own weather systems, including deadly “firestorms” that produce dry lightning and cannot be contained. – How do firestorms happen? – Scientists are still trying to understand how firestorms are created although weather, terrain, vegetation and the characteristics of the fire itself all play a role. But the basics are […]
by Andrew BEATTY Agence France Presse Firefighters raced to contain massive bushfires in southeastern Australia Tuesday, taking advantage of a brief drop in temperatures and some much-needed rainfall before another heatwave strikes later this week. Exhausted volunteers cleared ground vegetation and carried out controlled burns before temperatures and winds were expected to pick up again by Friday. “It really is about shoring up protection to limit the damage potential and the outbreak of the […]
by Glenda KWEK SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Reserve troops fanned out across fire-ravaged regions in three Australian states on Monday after a horror weekend, as the government pledged $1.4 billion over two years to help recover from the devastating months-long crisis. Catastrophic bushfires have turned swathes of land into smouldering, blackened hellscapes and destroyed an area about the size of the island of Ireland, according to official figures, with authorities warning the disaster still has weeks […]
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — A tropical cyclone formed off the northwestern coast of Australia Monday, threatening the town of Broome with destructive 125 kilometers (80 miles) per hour winds, meteorologists said. Tropical Cyclone Blake became category one storm with sustained winds of 75 kilometers (47 miles) per hour and was expected to strengthen to a category two early Tuesday when it skirts the town of 14,000 people. The Bureau of Meteorology warned residents to “prepare […]
EDEN, Australia (AFP) — A global appeal to help Australian firefighters tackling catastrophic bushfires raised almost Aus$25 million on Sunday, as swathes of the country suffered extensive damage and the death toll from the long-running crisis hit 24. East coast seaside towns were plunged into darkness, ash rained down on rural communities and major cities were again cloaked in choking smoke, even as stunned Australians tried to regroup amid a wave of cooler air […]
by Holly ROBERTSON / with Andrew Beatty and Glenda Kwek in Sydney Agence France-Presse BATEMANS BAY, Australia (AFP) — Skies turned black and ash rained down as fires raged across southeastern Australia on Saturday, threatening power supplies to major cities and prompting the call-up of 3,000 military reservists. Temperature records were smashed, and gale-force winds pounded fire-stricken coastal communities in the two most populous states New South Wales and Victoria. New South Wales Premier Gladys […]
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — The Australian military has begun the seaborne evacuation of hundreds of people trapped in a fire-ringed southeastern town, as the country braced for more catastrophic conditions. A navy landing craft from the HMAS Choules docked in the town of Mallacoota, where residents trapped on the foreshore since New Year’s Eve clambered aboard with family, pets and a few belongings. Military aircraft have also been working with emergency crews to drop relief […]
by Holly Robertson SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Australia authorized the forced evacuation of residents Thursday amid a mass exodus of tourists from fire-ravaged coastal communities, as the country braces for a weekend heatwave expected to fan deadly bushfires. Catastrophic blazes ripped through the country’s south-east on New Year’s Eve, killing at least eight people and stranding holidaymakers. New South Wales (NSW) Premier Gladys Berejiklian declared a seven-day state of emergency that allows for forced evacuations […]
BRISBANE, Australia (AFP) — With wins over the big three of world tennis already under his belt in 2019, Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas said Thursday he believed he had the ammunition to take the world number one ranking. Tsitsipas became the youngest player to beat Rafael Nadal on clay and the youngest to record wins over Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic during a stellar 2019 which saw him rise to world number five. […]
by Holly ROBERTSON SYDNEY, Australia (AP) — Relief supplies began reaching thousands of people stranded in fire-ravaged Australian towns Wednesday after deadly bushfires ripped through popular tourist spots and rural areas leaving at least eight people dead. Navy ships and military aircraft were deployed alongside emergency crews to provide humanitarian relief and assess the damage from the deadliest spate of blazes yet in a months-long bushfire crisis. Police said three more bodies were discovered Wednesday, […]
Sydney, Australia (AFP) — Thousands of tourists risked being stranded in Australia’s south east Monday, as a new heatwave left firefighters across the country bracing for another round of potentially catastrophic bushfire. Hundreds of blazes are burning across Australia, which is experiencing a devastating summer bushfire season fueled by a prolonged drought and climate change. More than 30,000 people were told to evacuate Victoria state’s popular East Gippsland region Sunday amid fears soaring temperatures and gusting winds […]
by Andrew Beatty SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Prime Minister Scott Morrison visited firefighters battling Australia’s bushfire crisis on Sunday as he apologized for a Hawaiian holiday that ended early after public outrage. Morrison toured the headquarters of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service — whose exhausted volunteers have been struggling to contain deadly, out-of-control-blazes for months on end — where he admitted he had erred in travelling overseas. Morrison had departed for a […]
