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Australia's NSW Braces for Catastrophic Fire Conditions

Reuters

   SYDNEY - Firefighters in the Australian state of New South Wales were
   bracing for "catastrophic" fire conditions on Saturday as temperatures
   well above 40C (104F) and strong winds were set to fuel more than 100
   fires burning across the state.

   Authorities asked people to delay travel, at the start of what is
   normally a busy Christmas holiday period, warning of the
   unpredictability of the fires as winds of up to 70 kph (44 mph) were
   set to fan flames through the middle of the day.

   "Catastrophic fire conditions are as bad as it gets," NSW Rural Fire
   Services Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told journalists.

   "They are the very worst of conditions. Given we have a landscape with
   so much active fire burning, you have a recipe for very serious concern
   and a very dangerous day."

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