Sweltering day puts heat on Australia fire crews
By ELLIE HARVEY AND BELLINDA KONTOMINAS
November 23, 2009 FIRES burned aggressively across NSW yesterday, scorching about 12,000 hectares of the state but claiming just one property. About 130 fires were fanned by sweltering heat and gusty conditions that led to emergency warnings for eight towns. This level of warnings advises residents to enact their bushfire plans immediately or evacuate. ”It has been an incredibly tough day,” said the Rural Fire Service spokesman, Anthony Clark, ”and you need to remember we’re still in November.” About 1700 firefighters were involved in yesterday’s efforts, along with more than 70 aircraft and about 500 trucks. Mr Clark said the temperature was very challenging, in many places reaching 40. The worst fires were in the central west, near Rylstone, Kandos and Clandulla, where a small cottage was lost. Aided by 60km/h winds, the fire broke containment lines just after 1pm and was threatening properties into the night. Beneath a smoke-filled sky, Rylstone Hospital evacuated patients as a precautionary measure. Linda Lynott, a disaster controller for the Greater Western Area Health Service, said that despite no immediate threat to their safety, all 18 patients were taken to Gulgong and Mudgee hospitals. … Smoke spread across Sydney late in the afternoon, making visibility on the roads poor, particularly on the M7.
