Sydney, March 7 (BNA): Australian officials warned, on Tuesday, of a high risk of wildfires in the east, after nearly two years of frequent floods and rains, as a severe heat wave pushed temperatures in several regions, including Sydney, to their highest levels in two regions. years.
A total of 33 fires have been burning across New South Wales (NSW), the most populous state in Australia and of which Sydney is the capital, with 12 yet to be contained. Five public schools are closed amid a blanket fire ban in large parts of the state.
Two fires were lowered from emergency warning levels overnight, but officials said they could start again, reports Reuters.
“It’s going to be another tough day for firefighters and maybe even tomorrow before we get some reprieve,” Rob Rogers, New South Wales Rural Fire Service commissioner, told ABC Television. “It will take several days to bring these fires under control.”
There have been no reports of casualties from the recent forest fires so far, but the authorities said some residents had to be evacuated.
Many areas in New South Wales on Monday recorded their hottest day since January 2021 with temperatures reaching over 40C (104F).
Average to high temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius are expected on Tuesday, but lower temperatures are expected from Thursday. The Met Office said hot, dry conditions combined with high winds will raise fire risk levels.
The state is battling its worst bushfires since the devastating blazes of 2019 and 2020 in eastern Australia that killed 33 people, billions of animals and scorched an area roughly half the size of Germany.
Since late 2020, La Nina has dominated Australia’s weather, bringing more rain and flooding. But the Met Office said last week that the weather was “likely coming to an end” and neutral conditions, which are neither La Niña nor its opposite El Nino, are likely to prevail through the fall.
“People have been really thinking and looking at floods over the last few years, and they haven’t really thought about their fire preparation,” NSW Rural Fire Services inspector Ben Shepherd told Sky News.
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