Australian authorities ordered the evacuation of some sparsely populated rural areas of New South Wales yesterday as bushfires, fanned by extreme heat and strong winds, raged across the state, threatening homes and closing roads.
A heat wave on Australia's east coast saw temperatures hit records in some parts of the state, creating conditions that officials said were worse than those preceding Victoria's 2009 "Black Saturday" fires, that killed 173 people.
"This is the worst day we have seen in the history of New South Wales when it comes to fire danger ratings and fire conditions," said Shane Fitzsimmons, the state's rural fire chief. Fitzsimmons said there were unconfirmed reports of homes, farm sheds and machinery being destroyed by fast-moving fires breaking containment lines.
By yesterday afternoon, emergency warnings were issued for five rural areas.
People were told to evacuate if they could, or seek shelter and avoid bush or grassland where it was too late to leave.
More than 2,000 firefighters were yesterday battling 86 fires across New South Wales, with 38 of them not under control.
A 13-year-old boy and a 40-year-old man were charged yesterday for allegedly starting fires.
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