Dozens of Bush Fires Menace Sydney Area

Bush fires raged out of control today around Sydney, forcing hundreds of people to flee their homes as firefighters struggled to contain the flames.

Overnight, strong, hot winds fanned more than 60 fires around Australia’s largest city, including one in a park just six miles from downtown. Rain in some areas and a change in wind direction failed to extinguish the flames. The area is in the midst of a severe drought.

An intense blaze sprang up in the Blue Mountains, 55 miles west of Sydney, late Thursday, destroying one home and forcing hundreds of evacuations. Another spread into a national park that leads through rugged and inaccessible bush toward some of Sydney’s most affluent northern beachside suburbs.

“That has caused some significant problems because now we are going to have to [go] down into the bush areas to try and contain that fire,” fire service spokesman John Winter told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.

Despite the infernos, only three homes were destroyed Thursday, as 3,000 firefighters beat back flames with the help of aircraft dropping water and the aid of homeowners armed with hoses, buckets and wet towels.

Winter said 18 homes had been razed since the latest round of fires erupted Wednesday afternoon. That estimate was down from the more than 30 that had been reported previously.

“The immediate environs of Sydney have probably not faced a threat like this for 20 to 30 years,” said New South Wales state Rural Fire Service Commissioner Phil Koperberg. “We’re going to be in trouble in New South Wales until it rains.”

The fires closed major highways into Sydney, stranding hundreds of evening commuters.

Some of the blazes were caused by arson. Police said they arrested an 18-year-old student and charged him with starting one of the fires Wednesday.

Others are believed to have been started by people tossing cigarette butts out of car windows -- an offense officials said could draw a 14-year prison sentence.

Bob Crowley, who has lived in Dural, northwest Sydney, for 15 years, watched in horror and amazement as flames swept over his home but left it virtually unscathed.

“All of a sudden the wind blew a big firestorm over the top. Everyone was running for their lives. We are just lucky the wind changed and saved us,” he said.

“My skin was burning as I was running. I have never been scared in my life like that.”