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| Fire threat to Australia's Blue Mountains 'averted' | Fire threat to Australia's Blue Mountains 'averted' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Australian fire officials say the threat to the Blue Mountains west of Sydney "has been averted" for the day, but warn the crisis is far from over. | |
| Residents should be able to return to their homes later on Wednesday, New South Wales Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said. | Residents should be able to return to their homes later on Wednesday, New South Wales Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said. |
| But Mr Fitzsimmons warned that fresh challenges lay ahead in the coming days amid unfavourable conditions. | |
| In total, 71 fires are burning across the state, 29 of which are uncontained. | In total, 71 fires are burning across the state, 29 of which are uncontained. |
| Emergency alerts remain in place for two areas - near the city of Newcastle, north of Sydney, and in Springwood, to the west. | |
| Fire officials had warned that Wednesday's combination of high temperatures, low humidity and strong winds could lead to more devastation. | |
| Hundreds of homes have already been destroyed as more than 3,000 firefighters battle to contain the bushfires in Australia's most populous state. |