Hundreds of Australian firefighters battled large bush fires in New South Wales yesterday, with authorities saying that continued high temperatures and strong winds could spark blazes in Sydney.
Water-bombing aircraft assisted crews in tackling around 50 fires with one blaze in Port Stephens, about 200km (124 miles) north of Sydney, burning through 8,047 hectares (19,890 acres) of bush, the New South Wales Rural Fire Service said.
“The bush is quite dry now, so it only takes a spark and we can have a major fire in Sydney,” Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers told Channel Seven. “It’s very high today and by no means is there no fire danger in Sydney.”
A growing number of wildfires are expected as Australia heads into its summer, with some scientists warning that rising temperatures could increase the intensity of the fire season.
Meanwhile, a top fire official in Australia has scolded a local man who stopped to take a selfie surrounded by a blazing bushfire in Kundabung.
The photo and a video taken by Kevin Kwok has since gone viral, but NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said people should put safety first.
“Use some common sense,” Fitzsimmons told reporters during a press conference. “If you come across a fire, think about survival, not selfies.”
“Travelling through Australia can be dangerous!” Kwok said in his Instagram post on Sunday, adding that he almost got stuck in the bushfire.
He said he called the fire brigade and drove to safety.
When he was criticised online for recklessness, Kwok said he needed a toilet break, since “driving while needing to go is also dangerous”.