Australians flee homes as police investigate suspicious fires

 

Firefighters battle bushfires in Angourie, northern New South Wales, Australia, September 10, 2019. AAP Image/Jason O'Brien/via REUTERS

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Hundreds of Australians have fled their homes in the eastern states as 140 fires ravaged parts of Queensland and New South Wales (NSW), officials said on Tuesday.

 

Strong winds have fanned bushfires in the two Australian states since Monday, with flames out of control in some areas, ravaging thousands of hectares of land.

 

At least eight of those fires are suspicious and will be investigated, Queensland Police Commissioner Katrina Carroll told reporters.

 

"Some of the fires have involved children playing and obviously the consequences are dire as a result of that and ... some of them have been purposeful and malicious," she said.

 

"The consequences of some of these fires are dire. People can die. Buildings and residences are being destroyed."

 

In the northeastern state of Queensland alone, low humidity levels, high winds and dried out vegetation have fuelled 85 fires that have destroyed or damaged 84 houses across the state, fire service officials said.

 

There were more than 400 people in evacuation centres, acting Queensland premier Jackie Trad told reporters. She added that there are none dead or missing.

 

"Apart from Sunshine Coast, we are still seeing fires right throughout the state," she said.

 

In neighbouring New South Wales, firefighters were battling about 55 fires and about five properties had been confirmed destroyed, the NSW Rural Fire Service said on Monday.

 

Bushfires have started earlier than normal in the southern hemisphere spring. Australia's Bureau of Meteorology said winds would intensify throughout the day on Tuesday, but fire threats should abate on Wednesday.

 

(Reporting by Paulina Duran; Editing by Himani Sarkar)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-09-10

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Some of the suspicion should fall on the Liberal Party politicians who are in power. They have been denying climate change for years. We are 10 days out of winter and our country is ablaze. Summer is the worst time in Oz for bush fires but this year we need not worry. Everything will be burnt by then.

5 minutes ago, Trentham said:

Some of the suspicion should fall on the Liberal Party politicians who are in power. They have been denying climate change for years. We are 10 days out of winter and our country is ablaze. Summer is the worst time in Oz for bush fires but this year we need not worry. Everything will be burnt by then.

The Australian weather doesn't start and stop at Australia's borders. You're suggesting that if "they" had done something (what exactly?) these bushfires would not be happening? I disagree with the stance that Australia is too small to make a difference; if every country took the same stand we'd never get anything done. On the other hand collectively the world simply isn't doing enough to avoid extreme weather for the foreseeable future

5 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

The Australian weather doesn't start and stop at Australia's borders. You're suggesting that if "they" had done something (what exactly?) these bushfires would not be happening? I disagree with the stance that Australia is too small to make a difference; if every country took the same stand we'd never get anything done. On the other hand collectively the world simply isn't doing enough to avoid extreme weather for the foreseeable future

Oh give me a break. Of course i know our weather doesn't start and stop at our borders. I am having a go at Oz politicians who deny the truth.

Its all very well to complain that the pollies are doing nothing, but who is holding their feet to the fire? Not the "media", not the newspapers and definitely not the voters! Ozy has the government they deserve, start the campaign to vote out the sitting member, that should sort them out!