As Worst Bushfire Season Ever Continues, Victorian Gov. Warns Worse Still To Come - NYT

[hatrack]

Australia’s second-most-populous state, Victoria, is in the grip of one of the worst bush fire seasons in recorded history, and the state’s government has issued warnings that with more hot weather on the way the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better.

“This is the worst bush fire conditions we have ever had in Victoria’s history because it is going to go on, and it is going to get worse,” the state’s premier, Steve Bracks, said Wednesday, after cutting short his holiday to take control of the crisis.

Almost 2.5 million acres of forest and farmland in the southeastern state have already been burned, and 200,000 people were without power on Tuesday after lines were bought down by the fires. Power was restored to most of them on Wednesday afternoon.

Mr. Bracks warned that despite the 104-degree heat, people should continue to conserve electricity. “We are bracing ourselves for some very, very tough conditions,” he said.

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