Australia devastated by a huge fire. Several forest fires in the country have merged into one single very large fire that is now burning uncontrollably north of Sydney, announced Friday, December 6, the authorities, who recognize their helplessness.

A senior fire chief from the state of New South Wales, Rob Rogers, said there were "probably more than eight fires" that had come together in a gigantic blaze burning on 300,000 hectares, an area about 60 km long. This fire raged an hour's drive from Sydney, which still felt Friday the effects of toxic fumes.

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Helplessness of firefighters

Rob Rogers has pointed to a helplessness of firefighters in light of the magnitude of the fire. Firefighters were reduced to organizing evacuations of residents, trying to protect homes and hoping for a quick end to the drought and winds that fuel the flames.

"We can not stop these fires, they will continue until conditions change, and then we will do what we can to try to contain them," he told ABC. "The best thing to do is to try to protect homes and people."

Fires favored by global warming

It's been three months since fires raged in various parts of eastern Australia. Fires are common as the austral summer approaches, but they appeared very early this year and are particularly virulent.

Researchers believe that global warming is helping to create even more favorable conditions for fires. Spectacular photos and videos were circulating Friday showing the advance of a flame wall in front of firefighters in the night in Orangeville, less than 100 km west of Sydney.

Incredible moment in Orangeville as the Green Wattle Creek fire erupted out of the bush and forcing all to run from its path pic @nampix for @smh and @ 9NewsSyd @NSWRFS pic.twitter.com/VlwUpOtBFC

- Nick Moir (@nampix) December 5, 2019

At Walkabout Wildlife Park, a wildlife park near Sydney, 300 animals had to be evacuated, including lizards, dingoes, peacocks and marsupials. New South Wales Fire Chief Shane Fitzsimmons announced that US and Canadian firefighters had arrived as reinforcements.

Six dead, two million hectares gone up in smoke

These experts must notably supervise the use of water bombers and heavy equipment used to create firewalls. "We are grateful not only for their presence here, but also for their sacrifice," said the fire chief, who for several weeks has become one of the "faces" of firefighting on the Australian media.

"They volunteered to give some of that time that they could have spent with their families at this special time of Christmas and New Year to come here to help us," he said. More than 600 houses were destroyed and six people died. The toll is lower than the deadliest year, 2009, when nearly 200 people died.

But the extent of the devastated areas this year is incommensurate with previous years. It is estimated that two million hectares have gone up in smoke, which is equivalent to half the area of ​​Switzerland.

With AFP