Less Than 1 Month Into Spring, More Than 100 Bushfires Rage In Australia

[hatrack]

MELBOURNE, Australia -- More than 100 wildfires raged across Australia on Thursday, sending firefighters scrambling to protect homes and farmland. Strong, dry winds were fanning the blazes in Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales and Tasmania states.

More than 20 fire crews and two water-bombing helicopters were struggling to contain a wildfire that was threatening dozens of homes in the Hunter Valley, a popular wine district northeast of Sydney, according to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service. Meanwhile firefighters battled against extreme conditions in southern Victoria state, with many firefighters struggling to stand upright against the raging winds, officials said.

"We've had over 100 fires this morning, which indicates the extreme conditions and the extreme fire danger across the state," Victoria state official Graham Fountain told Southern Cross Radio.

On the southern island state of Tasmania, a blaze was threatening to engulf a number of homes on the outskirts of the state capital, Hobart, according to state chief fire officer John Gledhill.

EDIT

http://newsinfo.inq7.net/breakingnews/world/view_article.php?article_id=26309

[Demeter]

1. I Wouldn't Go So Far As To Blame Those Fires On Bush!

After all, I don't think he's ever even BEEN to Australia....what's that? Oh, my mistake!

[C_U_L8R]

2. More than a 100 Bush fires here too

whattaya know