Bushfires destroy homes and kill one person in Victoria, Australia

The Hindu
The Hindu
9h ago
Bushfires across southeast Australia destroyed more than 70 houses and over 300 buildings in Victoria and killed one person near Longwood as a heatwave drove dozens of blazes.
Bushfires destroy homes and kill one person in Victoria, Australia
A What happened
Bushfires across southeast Australia destroyed more than 70 houses and over 300 buildings in Victoria, including sheds and other rural structures. Police said one person died in a bushfire near Longwood, about two hours’ drive north of Melbourne. Temperatures rose above 40°C during a heatwave in Victoria, and dozens of blazes burned more than 300,000 hectares combined. Hundreds of firefighters from across Australia were called in, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was talking with Canada and the United States for possible extra assistance.
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Key insights

  • 1

    Fire conditions eased enough for containment efforts: Tim Wiebusch said conditions were easing and firefighters were starting to get on top of some fires still burning.

  • 2

    Heatwave and dry winds created dangerous bushfire conditions: High temperatures and dry winds combined to form some of the most dangerous bushfire conditions since the Black Summer blazes.

Takeaways

Bushfires in Victoria destroyed scores of homes and other buildings, burned hundreds of thousands of hectares, and caused one confirmed death while firefighting efforts continued and authorities sought possible international assistance.

Topics

World & Politics International Affairs Climate & Environment Climate Change Natural Disasters Law & Public Safety Public Safety Accidents & Fires

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