Hundreds of homes are feared to have been destroyed by intense wildfires that tore across southeastern Australia in ferocious wind conditions on Thursday, darkening Sydney’s skies with smoke and ash, firefighters said.
Five major blazes were burning across the state of New South Wales, fanned by high, erratic winds in unseasonably warm 34 degrees Celsius (93 Fahrenheit) weather, as infernos in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney plunged the city into an eerie, ash-flecked darkness.
“We are unclear yet as to how many properties have been lost, but it’s expected by the time we finish counting, it will be at least in the hundreds,” said NSW State Premier Barry O’Farrell.
“It will take some days to see the end of these fires and I suspect if we get through that without the loss of life, we should thank God for miracles.”
In total, 95 fires were being tackled across the State with 34 out of control.