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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Fires rage in southern Australia | Fires rage in southern Australia |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Firefighters are battling to contain dozens of wildfires across the south east of Australia, most of them in parks and on bush land. | Firefighters are battling to contain dozens of wildfires across the south east of Australia, most of them in parks and on bush land. |
| Aircraft are dropping water bombs and thousands of volunteer firemen are on standby. | Aircraft are dropping water bombs and thousands of volunteer firemen are on standby. |
| Australians have suffered under one of the worst heatwaves in decades in recent weeks, with temperatures set to reach 47 C (117F) this weekend. | Australians have suffered under one of the worst heatwaves in decades in recent weeks, with temperatures set to reach 47 C (117F) this weekend. |
| If winds pick up, the authorities fear that the fire could spread. | If winds pick up, the authorities fear that the fire could spread. |
| The worst fire has burned 410 acres in a park near Melbourne. There are also three fires in the Hunter Valley region to the north of Sydney. | The worst fire has burned 410 acres in a park near Melbourne. There are also three fires in the Hunter Valley region to the north of Sydney. |
| Fire officials have advised residents to stay and defend their properties. "We would always stay and defend," Di Kinross told local media, the nearby area covered in thick smoke. | Fire officials have advised residents to stay and defend their properties. "We would always stay and defend," Di Kinross told local media, the nearby area covered in thick smoke. |
| Fightback | Fightback |
| The fire service is using water-bombing aircraft to contain fires. Already thousands of volunteers are using water hoses, with tens of thousands more on standby. | The fire service is using water-bombing aircraft to contain fires. Already thousands of volunteers are using water hoses, with tens of thousands more on standby. |
| "It's just going to be, probably by a long way, the worst day ever in the history of the state in terms of temperatures and winds," Victoria Premier John Brumby said. | "It's just going to be, probably by a long way, the worst day ever in the history of the state in terms of temperatures and winds," Victoria Premier John Brumby said. |
| If winds pick up, the authorities fear that the fires could spread. | If winds pick up, the authorities fear that the fires could spread. |
| "It is extremely dry. We do have some concern about the winds winds picking up and having an impact on the fire," a spokesman for Victoria state's Country Fire Authority told Reuters. | "It is extremely dry. We do have some concern about the winds winds picking up and having an impact on the fire," a spokesman for Victoria state's Country Fire Authority told Reuters. |
| In 1983, a wildfire killed 75 people, on a day known as Ash Wednesday. | In 1983, a wildfire killed 75 people, on a day known as Ash Wednesday. |