National parks and fire management agencies in Victoria and New South Wales, Australia fear that extreme weather conditions predicted for Thursday may result in a massive expansion of wildfires that have already burned over 750,000 hectares of alpine national parks and forests.
According to ENS, the wildfires coalesced from some 60 small blazes started by lightning strikes associated with dry thunderstorms in late December and early January. They are now burning on a 200 kilometre long front through the forested ranges of the Australian Capital Territory and the alpine parks of New South Wales and Victoria.
Thus, residents are being warned to evacuate their homes. New South Wales fire chief Phil Koperberg warned residents in nine villages south of Canberra.
