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| Australia wildfires raze homes in New South Wales | Australia wildfires raze homes in New South Wales |
| (about 1 hour 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 bushfires are common in Australia but they have come earlier than normal this year, sparking concerns of further problems to come. | Correspondents say bushfires 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. | 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. |
| "We've got thousands of kilometres of fire front that we are faced with trying to deal with," he told local media. | "We've got thousands of kilometres of fire front that we are faced with trying to deal with," he told local media. |
| 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. |
| Firefighters described fires as tall as 20 to 30m (100ft). | Firefighters described fires as tall as 20 to 30m (100ft). |
| A 63-year-old man died from a heart attack as he tried to defend his home in Lake Munmorah, in the Central Coast region of NSW, on Thursday afternoon. | A 63-year-old man died from a heart attack as he tried to defend his home in Lake Munmorah, in the Central Coast region of NSW, on Thursday afternoon. |
| 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. 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. |
| "It's been an awful 24 hours for the Blue Mountains [region]," Mayor Mark Greenhill told Nine Network Television. "We've lost possibly scores of homes." | "It's been an awful 24 hours for the Blue Mountains [region]," Mayor Mark Greenhill told Nine Network Television. "We've lost possibly scores of homes." |
| 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. |
| Fire Services Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told local media that the situation remained "very active, very dynamic, very dangerous", despite the cooler conditions. | Fire Services Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told local media that the situation remained "very active, very dynamic, very dangerous", despite the cooler conditions. |
| Around 500 sq km (200 sq miles) had been burnt out so far, he added. | |
| 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." | 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." |
| Jodie Harrison, Mayor of Lake Macquarie, said that four heritage homes, as well as a historic jetty, were caught in the fire. | |
| "It's been confirmed that four houses in the heritage village of Catherine Hill Bay have been lost," she told local media. | |
| Darkened skyline | Darkened skyline |
| 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. |
| Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he hoped to visit some of the affected areas on Friday. | |
| "[I want to] convey our nation's sympathies to all those who are suffering, to all those who have lost homes, whose homes have been damaged. And in particular to acknowledge that there has already been a loss of life, and we fear more." | |
| "Australia is a country that is prone to natural disaster but every time it strikes it hurts, and we grieve for those who are now hurting because of what has happened in New South Wales," he said. | "Australia is a country that is prone to natural disaster but every time it strikes it hurts, and we grieve for those who are now hurting because of what has happened in New South Wales," he said. |
| 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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