It's a dangerous weekend that started in Australia. The weather conditions there aggravate the forest fires that have been raging for months. Tens of thousands of people were thus evacuated, transforming into tourist towns tourist resorts usually animated in this season.
A state of emergency was declared in the southeast of the island continent, the most populated region, and orders were given Friday to more than 100,000 people to evacuate in three states. "It's about saving lives," warned New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
"We have literally seen tens of thousands of people leaving," said state fire chief Shane Fitzsimmons. “Our message was to make sure you leave yesterday ( Friday note ). To leave until today is to take a risk, to wait half an hour more is to take a greater risk, "he said.
Tourists and locals have abandoned their summer vacation spots or their homes. Highways connecting coastal cities to Sydney and other major cities are congested by long lines of cars.
Warm temperatures above 40 ° C are accompanied by strong winds that can fuel hundreds of forest fires burning across the country in the past four months, most of which are out of control. "Strong, dry winds will reignite the ongoing fires, threatening populations that have already suffered major devastation," warned Jonathan How, of the Australian weather forecast.
Temperatures close to #heat records currently in Southeast # Australia! 45 ° C at #Sydney and 43 ° at #Canberra pic.twitter.com/yS45NZpTS3
- Cities Weather (@Meteovilles) January 4, 2020The Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, called 3000 military reservists to deploy, an unprecedented mobilization. "It allows for more men on the ground, more planes in the sky, more ships at sea," he said.
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In Batemans Bay, a tourist town usually overflowing with activity, a reception center for evacuees has been set up. Hundreds of residents forced to leave their homes have found refuge in tents and caravans.
Since the start of the fire season in September, 23 people have died, according to the Prime Minister. Dozens more missing, more than 1,300 houses burned to the ground
es. An area equivalent to twice Belgium burned. The fires were also deadly for wildlife, and destroyed almost all of Flinders Chase National Park on Kangaroo Island, which is home to kangaroos and koalas.
The forecast for the next few days suggests an improvement. Rain, thunderstorms and sharp drops in temperatures will affect part of the area affected by the fires.
