‘Mega blaze’ warning near Sydney

About 100 bushfires are raging in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), with the most severe forming into a “mega blaze” north of Sydney.

More than 2,000 firefighters are battling bushfires, which escalated in intensity late on Thursday.

Fires spanned the entire NSW coastline on Friday, with some sparking emergency warnings amid hot and windy conditions.

Officials said three blazes had merged into a “mega blaze” on Friday morning, covering more than 300,000 hectares. The front was located about 75km (46 miles) north of Sydney.

Australia’s largest city has been blanketed by thick smoke all week, causing a rise in medical problems.

Since October, bushfires have killed six people and destroyed more than 700 homes across Australia.

The severity of the blazes so early in the fire season has caused alarm, and prompted calls for greater action to tackle climate change.

 

Via ABC News

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