Thousands told to evacuate Victoria state amid fast spreading forest fire in Australia

In Australia, tens of thousands of residents and holidaymakers in the state of Victoria have been told to evacuate amid worsening bushfire conditions. Officials said, temperatures of over 40 degree centigrade, strong winds, thunderstorms and a change of wind direction meant tomorrow would be a day of extreme danger. Emergencies chief Andrew Crisp said those in the East Gippsland area should leave no



later than today morning.

 

More than 100 fires are continuing to burn across Australia. The biggest are raging near the city of Sydney in New South Wales, where more than a quarter of a million people have signed a petition calling for the New Year's Eve fireworks to be cancelled and the money spent on fighting fires.