Firefighters Lose Control Over Fire West Of Sydney, 20 Buildings Destroyed - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th December, 2019) About 20 buildings were destroyed in villages in Australia's Blue Mountains region as firefighters have lost control over a backburn on a megafire west of Sydney, media reported, citing the local rural fire service.

Australia's ABC broadcaster reported that the fire covered some 378,000 hectares (934,000 acres).

The deputy commissioner of the local rural service, Rob Rogers, said that none of measures taken by the fire service was working in the drought conditions.

The fire also caused power outages in about 450 houses in the area, the broadcaster stated.

Firefighters have been trying to safe the 28-hectare Blue Mountains Botanic Garden in Mount Tomah, and will close it for at least a week to reduce damage caused by the blaze, according to the media.

Australia has been ravaged by serious bushfires which burst into life at the start of November. Several people have been killed in the blazes. The bushfire crisis has already destroyed more than a million hectares of forest, including koala habitats.