australia fires

Australia fires: 48 ni-Vanuatu seasonal workers wait for all clear

 The group had been working on apple and blueberry orchards, when they were forced to flee an approaching bushfire.

The Daily Post reports group leader James Walau saying the workers left their camp on New Year's Eve and went to an evacuation centre.

He said the centre was too small to accommodate all of the workers so their employer put them up in a hotel.

Mr Walau said their prayers were answered when they were told their orchards had only lost a few trees to the fire, before it miraculously died down.

   

Vanuatu donates to assist Australia Rural Fire Service

The announcement was made Sunday by the Acting Prime Minister, Jonathan Napat.

He expressed the country’s deepest sympathy and concern for Australia as it continues to suffer from the horrific bush fires.

Mr Napat has also called on all denominations and citizens of Vanuatu to keep Australia in their prayers.

”As a Pacific neighbor and friend, we (Vanuatu) have watched as the horrific fires devastated Australia. We offer whatever assistance we can in this time of need, as Australia has always done to us.

Australia fires: Strong winds hamper efforts to control flames

A southerly change with powerful gusts up to 80mph (128km/h) threatened to spread huge fires raging in New South Wales (NSW), officials said.

In the neighbouring state of Victoria, army helicopters have been deployed to evacuate people trapped by the flames.

Since September, fires in Australia have killed at least 23 people.

More than 1,200 homes have been destroyed and millions of hectares of land scorched. Although much attention has centred on worst-hit NSW, every state and territory has been affected.

Fires out of control overnight in NSW, Victoria, South Australia amid record temperatures

Firefighters who continued to battle fires overnight were sure more homes had been lost, but would not be able to accurately report the extent of the damage until daylight.

Since September, fires in Australia have killed at least 23 people.

More than 1300 homes have been destroyed and millions of hectares of land scorched. Although much attention has centred on worst-hit NSW, every state and territory has been affected.

Australia fires: Thousands told to evacuate in Victoria

Temperatures of over 40C, strong winds, thunderstorms and a change of wind direction meant Monday would be a day of extreme danger, officials said.

Emergencies chief Andrew Crisp said those in the East Gippsland area should leave no later than Monday morning.

More than 100 fires are continuing to burn across Australia.

The biggest are raging near the city of Sydney in New South Wales, where more than a quarter of a million people have signed a petition calling for the New Year's Eve fireworks to be cancelled and the money spent on fighting fires.