Bush Fires Brought Under Control

The bush fire crisis along the east coast eased as firefighters brought the last of the blazes under control. Firefighters said 20 fires, down from a peak of 400, were burning. “The situation has eased, but there is no room for complacency,” said New South Wales Rural Fire Services Commissioner Phil Koperberg. He added that emergency restrictions had been lifted in most parts of New South Wales state and that national parks had been reopened after the weeklong crisis. At least three volunteer firefighters lost their lives battling the blazes, and more than 1.25 million acres of bush were burned.