Global General
Bushfires in Australian state threaten homes
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-01-04 16:27
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CANBERRA: Firefighters have intensified efforts to contain a blaze burning out of control in northern Tasmania on Monday.
The fire has jumped control lines in the Asbestos Range area near York Town, west of the Tamar Valley, and is expected to threaten houses.
Extra bulldozers and a third helicopter have been called in to attack the fire, which has burned about 500 hectares of state forest.
The Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) has issued a watch and act warning.
About 20 TFS and Forestry Tasmania firefighters are on site, supported by seven bulldozers and three aircraft.
Incident Controller Bob Hamilton said firefighters were working around the clock to build containment lines around the fire ahead of expected windy conditions later on Monday.
"If we get some calmer conditions this evening we'll probably try some backburning to reinforce the control buffer," he said.
