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| Australia bushfires: Dozens of houses destroyed or damaged | Australia bushfires: Dozens of houses destroyed or damaged |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Up to 30 houses have been destroyed or seriously damaged in a bushfire in the Australian state of New South Wales. | Up to 30 houses have been destroyed or seriously damaged in a bushfire in the Australian state of New South Wales. |
| Scores of blazes burned across the state and neighbouring Queensland on Tuesday as temperatures climbed as high as 40C (104F) in some areas. | Scores of blazes burned across the state and neighbouring Queensland on Tuesday as temperatures climbed as high as 40C (104F) in some areas. |
| Authorities said one man had suffered serious burns in a fire that was thought to have been deliberately lit. | |
| Drought-affected parts of eastern Australia have endured intense fires since September - the start of spring. | Drought-affected parts of eastern Australia have endured intense fires since September - the start of spring. |
| Authorities have described it as the worst start to the fire season on record in some areas. | Authorities have described it as the worst start to the fire season on record in some areas. |
| Bushfires were presently affecting more than 100,000 hectares of land. In some areas, the blazes had raged for more than five weeks. | Bushfires were presently affecting more than 100,000 hectares of land. In some areas, the blazes had raged for more than five weeks. |
| Dozens of houses were razed or damaged in the rural town of Rappville and surrounding areas on Tuesday. Authorities said they were investigating it as a possible case of arson. | |
| A home in Laidley, Queensland, was destroyed in a separate fire. | |
| One Rappville resident, Danny Smith, told reporters on Wednesday: "I've lost the bloody sheds, the house, lost everything." | One Rappville resident, Danny Smith, told reporters on Wednesday: "I've lost the bloody sheds, the house, lost everything." |
| Another man was flown to hospital after suffering serious burns while trying to protect his home, authorities said. | Another man was flown to hospital after suffering serious burns while trying to protect his home, authorities said. |
| "For a little while there, we even hit catastrophic fire conditions and now we've dropped back into the extreme conditions," said Queensland deputy fire commissioner John Bolger. | "For a little while there, we even hit catastrophic fire conditions and now we've dropped back into the extreme conditions," said Queensland deputy fire commissioner John Bolger. |
| The bushfires follow record high winter temperatures and sparse rainfall. Prior to that, Australia had its hottest summer on record. | The bushfires follow record high winter temperatures and sparse rainfall. Prior to that, Australia had its hottest summer on record. |
| Many areas of south-east Australia are enduring a prolonged and severe drought, which scientists say is being exacerbated by climate change. | Many areas of south-east Australia are enduring a prolonged and severe drought, which scientists say is being exacerbated by climate change. |