Published 14:08 IST, January 13th 2020
'Megablaze' on Gospers Mountain in Australia under control amid rain forecast
New South Wales firefighters have controlled the largest ‘megablaze’ which has been burning for more than three months and destroyed half a million hectares.
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New South Wales (NSW) firefighters have controlled Australia’s largest ‘mega blaze’ which has been burning for more than three months. More than half a million hectares of area was burnt due to the Gospers Mountain fire, making it one of the largest bushfires burning in NSW to date.
“We still have a long fire season ahead of us so we plead that everyone remains vigilant, this cooler weather is huge relief to everyone, but it is only a matter of time until the hot, windy weather returns,” said NSW Rural Fire Service Rylstone Station in a Facebook post.
Rain brings relief
Last week, a dip in temperature was observed across southeastern Australia, bringing light rain and some relief from the heat which helped reduce fire danger ratings. Bureau of Meteorology has predicted tropical cyclone ‘Claudia’, which has sustained winds near the centre of 130 km/h, to bring significant rainfall to the west of Western Australia. It said that showers and thunderstorms should become more widespread on January 16 as a cold front moves across the southeast, with an increased chance of rain over the eastern Victoria and southeastern NSW fire sites.
“If this Bureau of Meteorology rainfall forecast comes to fruition then this will be all of our Christmas, birthday, engagement, anniversary, wedding and graduation presents rolled into one. Fingers crossed,” said the rural fire service.
Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison informed the Parliament that $42 million, the National Bushfire Recovery Agency, has been paid to the states to support those local council areas. Morrison said that the government has been working with the Victorian Government to declare three of those councils as Category C assistance areas.
Earlier, the Australian Prime Minister had announced the establishment of a national bushfire recovery fund with an initial $2 billion. The fund will be used to coordinate a national response to rebuild communities and livelihoods in the aftermath of a catastrophic bushfire.
14:08 IST, January 13th 2020