Australia

PERTH, Australia (AP) — Thousands of tourists fled Australia’s wildfire-ravaged eastern coast Thursday ahead of worsening conditions as the military started to evacuate people trapped on the shore further south.

Cooler weather since Tuesday has aided firefighting and allowed people to replenish supplies. Vehicles formed long lines at gas stations and supermarkets, and traffic was gridlocked as highways reopened. But fire conditions were expected to deteriorate Saturday as high temperatures and strong winds return.

PERTH, Australia (AP) — Australia deployed military ships and aircraft Wednesday to help communities ravaged by apocalyptic wildfires that destroyed homes and sent thousands of residents and holidaymakers fleeing to the shoreline.

Navy ships and military aircraft were bringing water, food and fuel to towns where supplies were depleted and roads were cut off by the fires. Since Monday, seven people have died as destructive wildfires tore through communities in New South Wales and Victoria states on Australia’s southeast coast.

SYDNEY, Dec 31 (NNN-XINHUA) – A 28-year-old Australian volunteer firefighter died, battling a blaze on the border of New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria State, when a freak weather event upended the truck he and two others were travelling in.

Responding to the Green Valley fire in Jingellic, the crew were trying to save livestock that had been trapped in the blaze.

SYDNEY, Dec 31 (NNN-XINHUA) – Two more people were confirmed dead and several more remain missing in Australia on Tuesday, as the result of severe bush-fires in the country’s southeast.

“It’s been confirmed today that there are two deceased persons in Cobargo, and a third person remains missing with grave concerns for their safety,” New South Wales (NSW) Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, said.

Those who lost their lives are believed to be a father and son, who were attempting to defend their home from an oncoming fire-front, in the town of Cobargo, in the southeast of NSW.

SYDNEY, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- A 28-year-old Australian volunteer firefighter has been killed battling a blaze on the border of New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria State when a freak weather event upended the truck he and two others were traveling in.

Responding to the Green Valley fire in Jingellic, the crew were trying to save livestock that had been trapped in the blaze.

PERTH, Australia (AP) — Wildfires burning across Australia’s two most-populous states Tuesday trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions, destroyed many properties and caused at least two fatalities.

In the southeastern town of Mallacoota, around 4,000 residents fled toward the waterside as winds pushed an emergency-level wildfire towards their homes. The town was shrouded in darkness from the smoke before turning an unnerving shade of bright red.

PERTH, Australia (AP) — Sydney will set off its iconic New Year’s fireworks display after being granted an exemption to a total fire ban Monday as other Australian cities canceled their celebrations due to the worsening wildfire risk in the oppressive summer heat.

PERTH, Australia (AP) — Sydney’s iconic New Year’s Eve fireworks will go ahead despite the wildfire crisis to show the world Australia’s resiliency, the prime minister said, while authorities on Sunday braced for conditions to deteriorate with high temperatures.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison also announced financial support for some volunteer firefighters in New South Wales, the state worst hit by wildfires ravaging the nation.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian authorities said on Friday they are focused on protecting water plants, pumping stations, pipes and other infrastructure from intense bushfires surrounding Sydney, the country’s largest city.

Firefighters battling the blazes for weeks received a reprieve of slightly cooler, damper conditions over Christmas, but the respite is not expected to last long.

Melbourne, Dec 26 (PTI) One in three adolescents globally are at the risk of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and cancer, with low fruit and vegetable intake, and physical inactivity as the most prominent risk factors, according to a study.

The study, published in the journal Preventive Medicine, is the largest global research of the major lifestyle risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in adolescents.