简体中文
Residents of Australia's New South Wales (NSW) are being warned of the worst fire danger they have ever faced, with "catastrophic" fire conditions forecast in some areas of the state and New Zealand is to send 12 specialist rural firefighters to Australia to help battle wild fires, local media reported on Tuesday.
New Zealand is to send 12 specialist rural firefighters to Australia to help battle wild fires that are sweeping the southeastern island state of Tasmania
A total statewide fire ban is in place, while conditions in the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and Southern Ranges are rated as " catastrophic", according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reports.
Temperatures in many other areas are expected to reach extremely dangerous levels, with more than 40 degrees predicted in most parts of the state, including Sydney.
There are more than 20 uncontrolled fires that are burning across NSW as thousands of firefighters remain on standby facing some of the worst fire threats in the state's history.
An emergency warning was issued for residents of the town of Carlaminda in southern NSW on Tuesday morning, the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) said.
"The bush fire is burning near the Mount Forest Road, Carlaminda area and is currently impacting on properties," the RFS said in its major fire updates on Tuesday.
Urgently, New Zealand is to send 12 specialist rural firefighters to Australia to help battle wild fires that are sweeping the southeastern island state of Tasmania.
National rural fire officer Murray Dudfield said two groups of six firefighters one made up of Department of Conservation staff and the other of forestry workers would fly to Australia Wednesday.
"This team will use equipment provided by the local agencies and are likely to be deployed for at least two weeks," Dudfield said in a statement.
Over the past decade, New Zealand firefighters had been deployed several times to assist their Australian counterparts fight bushfires.
The fires in Tasmania are reported to have destroyed about 100 homes, and other parts of Australia are on high alert as temperatures soar.
