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Hundreds evacuated after bushfires in Australia

Around 1,000 firefighters were struggling to quench more than 80 fires in Queensland alone, a region that has been hit by intense and prolonged drought.

Hundreds evacuated after bushfires in Australia

Representational image (Photo: IStock)

At least 400 people were evacuated from their homes in Australia after hundreds of bushfires ravaged the area, according to authorities on Tuesday.

Queensland’s acting premier, Jackie Trad, said it was “nothing short of a miracle” that so far, only material damages have been reported and there have been no casualties, Efe news reported.

Around 1,000 firefighters were struggling to quench more than 80 fires in Queensland alone, a region that has been hit by intense and prolonged drought.

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Meanwhile, people in the small border town of Ballandean were warned to evacuate on Monday afternoon, with others taking to social media to describe the bushfire crisis as a “nightmare” that won’t end.

The Queensland emergency services minister, Craig Crawford, warned on Monday that the emergency was far from over.

“I think we are through the worst of it, but we still have a couple of days to go before it really starts to cool down,” he said.

The Gold Coast hinterland rainforest fire that has destroyed 11 homes was still causing pain.

That blaze is not threatening any homes but strong, dry winds are still making conditions volatile in the bone-dry countryside.

“We are confident we will be able to hold that, and if there are any outbreaks we will be able to get onto those very quickly,” acting Fire Commissioner Mike Wassing said.

The fire season in Australia varies according to area and weather conditions but is generally recorded between spring and summer (December to March).

The most serious fire in Australia in recent decades burned through 4,500 sq.km in the state of Victoria in February 2009, causing 173 deaths and 414 injuries.

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