A bushfire has spiraled out of control in the Australian state of New South Wales. The fire around the village of Tambaroora northwest of Sydney has already damaged several houses and properties, Australian broadcaster ABC reported, citing the fire department.
The flames have spread rapidly since Wednesday night and are now raging over an area of more than 12,000 hectares. Around 20 houses are threatened. Glowing ash flies through the air far ahead of the fire front and could hit buildings, it said.
“We’re not going to stop the fire, but it’s about giving these buildings the best possible chance of survival,” said fire department spokesman Rob Rodgers. The emergency services were deployed, among other things, with three firefighting aircraft and several helicopters. Evacuation centers have been set up for local residents. According to the authorities, the fire was probably started by a lightning strike on Sunday.
