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| Australia wildfires raze homes in New South Wales | Australia wildfires raze homes in New South Wales |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A series of major wildfires are burning in the Australian state of New South Wales with fears that hundreds of homes have been destroyed. | A series of major wildfires are burning in the Australian state of New South Wales with fears that hundreds of homes have been destroyed. |
| Fire crews are still tackling the blazes on the outskirts of Sydney, despite temperatures and winds easing. | Fire crews are still tackling the blazes on the outskirts of Sydney, despite temperatures and winds easing. |
| One man has died while trying to protect his home. | One man has died while trying to protect his home. |
| Correspondents say bush fires are common in Australia but they have come earlier than normal this year, sparking concerns of further problems to come. | Correspondents say bush fires are common in Australia but they have come earlier than normal this year, sparking concerns of further problems to come. |
| Deputy NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Rob Rogers said the fire situation was the worst he had seen in more than a decade and the threat was unlikely to ease for some time, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. | Deputy NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Rob Rogers said the fire situation was the worst he had seen in more than a decade and the threat was unlikely to ease for some time, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. |
| Extraordinary speed | Extraordinary speed |
| Hundreds of residents spent Thursday night in evacuation centres, with many returning home to find their houses razed. | Hundreds of residents spent Thursday night in evacuation centres, with many returning home to find their houses razed. |
| Around 2,000 firefighters across the state worked to try and contain the fires but many are still burning out of control, says the BBC's Jon Donnison in Sydney. | Around 2,000 firefighters across the state worked to try and contain the fires but many are still burning out of control, says the BBC's Jon Donnison in Sydney. |
| The fires have been caused by unseasonably hot temperatures and strong winds. | The fires have been caused by unseasonably hot temperatures and strong winds. |
| Our correspondent adds that while these have now died down, more hot weather is forecast next week. | Our correspondent adds that while these have now died down, more hot weather is forecast next week. |
| Some of the worst affected areas are in the Blue Mountains around 70km (45 miles) west of Sydney. | Some of the worst affected areas are in the Blue Mountains around 70km (45 miles) west of Sydney. |
| A 63-year-old man collapsed and died as he tried to defend his home in Lake Munmorah, in the Central Coast region of NSW, on Thursday afternoon, according Australian media. | A 63-year-old man collapsed and died as he tried to defend his home in Lake Munmorah, in the Central Coast region of NSW, on Thursday afternoon, according Australian media. |
| NSW fire service posted on Twitter saying teams would be assessing damage on Friday but it appeared there may be hundreds of homes destroyed. | NSW fire service posted on Twitter saying teams would be assessing damage on Friday but it appeared there may be hundreds of homes destroyed. |
| "We've had a number of fires through here before but this was an extraordinary fire. The speed was extraordinary, it just raced through this whole area, took out some houses, left other ones standing," resident Ron Fuller, who lost his home in Winmalee, told ABC News. | "We've had a number of fires through here before but this was an extraordinary fire. The speed was extraordinary, it just raced through this whole area, took out some houses, left other ones standing," resident Ron Fuller, who lost his home in Winmalee, told ABC News. |
| NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell praised the response from fire crews in an interview on broadcaster 7 News, calling the fires "some of the worst we have experienced around Sydney in living memory". | NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell praised the response from fire crews in an interview on broadcaster 7 News, calling the fires "some of the worst we have experienced around Sydney in living memory". |
| "We're in for a long, tough summer," he added. | "We're in for a long, tough summer," he added. |
| Smoke and ash from the wildfires blanketed the Sydney skyline on Thursday. | Smoke and ash from the wildfires blanketed the Sydney skyline on Thursday. |
| New South Wales was also hit by bush fires in September, which injured several firefighters. | New South Wales was also hit by bush fires in September, which injured several firefighters. |
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