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| Sunday, 8 December 2002 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Weather helps Sydney firefighters, worse expected SYDNEY, Thursday (Reuters) Firefighters and Sydney homeowners raced against the clock to get surrounding bushfires under control during a brief respite on Saturday, preparing Australia's largest city for a return of severe fire weather within 24 hours. "It's a crunch day tomorrow," New South Wales Premier Bob Carr told reporters on Saturday, dashing hopes that the city would have two days to prepare for a return of the hot, windy weather that has whipped up huge fires over the past week. "High temperatures, and strong winds from the northwest (are) returning. We've only got today to set up for that instead of having two days to set up," Carr said. Despite Saturday's cooler, calmer conditions, a new fire emerged in Sydney's north, and soon flames up to 20 metres (70 feet) high were threatening homes. But the blaze was held back by water-bombing helicopters and firefighters who blasted it with water cannon shooting 3,000 litres (700 gallons) a minute. "It is physically impossible for us to contain all the fires," Rural Fire Service Commissioner Phil Koperberg said. Some bushland would have to be left to burn out. "We can expect spasmodic outbreaks tomorrow (Sunday)..." he said. Sydney remained ringed by what Koperberg has described as an almost unprecedented line of fire, from the Nepean River west of Sydney to the mouth of the Hawkesbury River in the north. |
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