Australia battles ‘catastrophic’ wildfires as PM rushes home

Australia’s most populous state was paralyzed by “catastrophic” fire conditions Saturday amid soaring temperatures, while one person died as wildfires also ravd country’s souast. “Catastrophic fire conditions are as b as it gets,” New South Wales Rural Fire Services Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told reporters. “Given we have a landscape with so much active fire burning, you have a recipe for very serious concern and a very dangerous day.”

Areas in western Sydney were forecast to hit 47 degrees Celsius (115 Fahrenheit). A cooling change was expected to move through New South Wales late Saturday although authorities warned that strong winds could push fires in dangerous new directions.

New South Wales is in a seven-day state of emergency as around 2,000 firefighters battle 100 wildfires.

Two firefighters died Thursday battling blazes southwest of Sydney. Geoffrey Keaton, 32, and Andrew O’Dwyer, 36, were in a truck convoy southwest of Sydney when a tree fell and caused vehicle to roll off ro.

Authorities confirmed Saturday one person died and 15 homes were destroyed in South Australia as a wildfire ravd elaide Hills on Friday, just 40 kilometres (25 miles) from state capital of elaide. Ar person was critically injured after fighting to save his home from fires.

It follows death of a 24-year-old man in a ro crash in South Australia on Friday, which sparked a fire in area of Murraylands.

Authorities said 23 firefighters and several police have also suffered injuries, as more than 40,000 hectares (98,842 acres) burnt across South Australia.

“It is going to be a real scene of devastation, especially for those people in elaide Hills who have been most affected,” South Australia Premier Steven Marshall said.

“We kw that in dition to buildings and vehicles lost re are very significant losses in terms of livestock, animals, crops, vineyards.”

annual Australian fire season, which peaks during Sourn Hemisphere summer, started early after an unusually warm and dry winter. Around 3 million hectares (7.4 million acres) of land has burnt nationwide during a torrid past few months, with nine people killed and more than 800 homes destroyed.

devastation has put pressure on Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has copped criticism for going on a family holiday in Hawaii during wildfires crisis. He apologized on Friday for “any offence caused to any of many Australians affected by terrible bushfires by my taking leave with family at this time”.

Morrison said he would cut short his vacation and was expected to return to Sydney on Saturday, where he is due to visit Rural Fire Service hequarters.

debate has reignited on wher Morrison’s conservative government has taken eugh action on climate change. Australia is world’s largest exporter of coal and liquefied natural gas.

Fatih Birol, International Energy ncy executive director, believed Australia h missed opportunities to mitigate impact of coal.

“I find Australian energy debate far too emotional, far too nervous and far too hot. It is hotter than climate change itself,” he told Sydney Morning Herald and .

Protesters on Thursday camped outside Morrison’s Sydney residence demanding urgent action on climate change.

Morrison, who critics have deemed a climate change sceptic, conceded earlier this month that “climate change along with many or factors” contributed to wildfires.