Unexpected Heavy Rain Dampens Australia Bushfires

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, January 07, 2002

Unexpected Heavy Rain Dampens Australia Bushfires

Australia's weary firefighters were singing in the rain on Monday as an unexpectedly heavy downpour dampened some of the blazes which have ravaged New South Wales since Christmas Day.

Australia's weary firefighters were singing in the rain on Monday as an unexpectedly heavy downpour dampened some of the blazes which have ravaged New South Wales since Christmas Day.

Around 10,000 mostly volunteer firefighters are battling up to 100 fires, many lit by arsonists, on fronts totaling 1,250 miles around Australia's biggest city, Sydney.

Up to 1.5 inches of rain fell on major fires in the Blue Mountains national park west of Sydney and the Hawkesbury area northwest of the city, but there was no significant rain on fires to the south around Shoalhaven.

Fire officials sounded a note of caution as high temperatures and windy conditions were forecast for later on Monday.

Officials said 101 homes have been lost to the fires which over 14 days have burned more than 550,000 hectares, an area twice the size of Greater London.

They are the most intense since the 1994 bushfire crisis, when four people died and just over 200 homes were lost.

There have been no deaths but two firefighters have suffered burns and scores more have been treated for smoke inhalation. One woman suffered spinal injuries after falling from a roof while trying to protect her home.

Emergency Services Minister Debus put the cost of the entire firefighting operation at $36 million and said the federal government would contribute to the bill.

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