CANBERRA, Jan 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) – A bushfire in the south of Canberra is recognised as the most serious bushfire threat to the Australian capital since 2003, according to local sources.
The fire, believed to have started on Monday, by the landing of a defence helicopter, engulfed nearly 8,000 hectares as of 7:30 p.m. local time, said a report.
“This is the most serious situation we have faced since the 2003 bushfires,” said Andrew Barr, Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
Fires entered the suburbs of Canberra in 2003, killing four people, injuring 430 and destroying hundreds of homes.
The Department of Defence said that the fire was possibly caused by a helicopter, the landing lights of which set the grass on fire with heat.
Residents in south Canberra, near the fire zone, are urged to closely monitor the situation and activate their survival plans.
The ACT Emergency Services Agency, believed that the upcoming heatwave would make it difficult to control the fire.– NNN-AGENCIES
