Sydney ready to stand the heat

Officials say the fire-fighting effort is unprecedented

Australia has mustered 15,000 fire-fighters to defend Sydney against the forest fires raging in New South Wales.

The authorities fear that Sunday will be their most challenging day so far in the fight against 100 or more blazes, which have devastated large parts of the state since Christmas Day.

The state's premier, Bob Carr, says the fire danger is the worst in 30 years, and fire authorities are urging people to remain calm because the destruction of more property appears inevitable.

There's no place for complacency at the moment

Mark Sullivan
Rural Fire Service

Recent cooler weather helped fire-fighters to control many blazes, but the latest forecast promises strong winds and temperatures of up to 40C.

Authorities say the conditions are ideal for sudden and unstoppable new outbreaks of fire.

Click here for a map of the fires threatening Sydney

Small towns south of Sydney have been placed on evacuation alert.

Flames have been reported less than 25 km (15 miles) from Sydney's city centre.

Despite the damage, no deaths or serious injuries have been reported

The city itself is enveloped in thick, strong-smelling smoke and its famous beaches are blackened by ash and burnt leaves.

Visibility in the worst-affected areas along the city's south-west boundary and in the Blue Mountains national park 80 km west of Sydney is down to 100 metres.

In some areas, where fire has destroyed electricity lines, fire-fighters are having trouble getting water.

People with swimming pools are being asked to hang a coloured towel or pillowcase on their homes to signal that water tankers can be refilled there.

Wildlife devastated

More than 4,400 people have been evacuated and at least 150 homes and thousands of hectares of forest and farmland have been ravaged by the fires.

Animal welfare spokesmen say tens of thousands of Australia's native animals - kangaroos, wallabies and koalas - are likely to have been killed in the bush and national parks.

Australia is home to unique wildlife

Almost 80% of the Royal National Park, the world's second-oldest national park after Yellowstone in the United States, has been burned.

Wildlife officials say it could take two years for the environment to regenerate.

Arrests

The fire-fighters have been racing against time to create firebreaks.

"We've been trying to get buffer zones in so that we're able to protect the homes as best as possible," Fire Services spokesman John Winter said on Saturday.

Officials said some of the fires were started deliberately - three 15-year-old boys and three men have been arrested for allegedly starting a number of fires.

A total fire ban has been declared across New South Wales and the maximum penalty for those caught lighting fires is 14 years in prison.

Mr Carr has said the penalty may be increased.

Insurers say the damage bill from the fires will exceed the A$56m (US $29m) cost of the 1994 bush fires when four people were killed and 185 homes were destroyed around Sydney.

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