The authorities in Australia have given a new warning that fires around the city of Sydney could become more intense. Officials say that, although the weather has stayed relatively benign over the weekend, the flames could be fanned by strong winds that are forecast for tomorrow.
They say the situation remains extremely dangerous. Strong winds and rising temperatures were expected to make the task of fighting the fires more difficult. However, rising humidity levels helped keep the flames at bay.
A police task force set up to investigate cases of suspected arson has already arrested eight people. If found guilty, they could face up to 14 years in prison. The Deputy Police Commissioner of New South Wales, Ken Moroney, says that destructive behaviour will not be tolerated.
Firefighters will remain on high alert for the next 72 hours. A warning was issued to residents yesterday that they should be prepared to evacuate their homes as meteorologists said that lightning could start even more fires.
The fires have caused disruption to air travel, as poor visibility around Sydney forced the diversion of two domestic and three international flights to Brisbane and the capital Canberra. 625,000 acres of bush and hundreds of homes have been destroyed in the more than 100 fires burning to the north, west and south of Sydney.
Thousands of animals, mostly sheep, have been killed. Road and rail links, as well as the power supplies to about 12,000 properties, have been cut.
