Wildfire-ravaged areas of Australia get holiday relief

PERTH, Australia (AP) — Areas of Australia that have been ravaged by deadly wildfires experienced temporary relief on Wednesday, but oppressive conditions are expected to return this weekend.

About 5 million hectares of land have burned nationwide over the past few months, with nine people killed and more than 950 homes destroyed.

New South Wales, the country’s most populous state, has received the brunt of the damage, with around 850 homes razed in the state.

Parts of New South Wales, including Sydney, experienced cool and damp conditions on Christmas Day, but more than 70 fires continued to burn across the state.

New South Wales has been in a seven-day state of emergency, which was to expire on Wednesday night.

About 2,000 firefighters and 400 firetrucks battled the blazes in more favourable conditions, but high temperatures are set to return.

Sydney is forecast to hit 31 degrees Celsius on Sunday, while the city’s western suburbs could reach 41 C.

Fire danger ratings remained very high in northwestern New South Wales, and were between high and moderate for the rest of the state.

In his annual Christmas message, Prime Minister Scott Morrison paid tribute to the families of the two firefighters — Geoffrey Keaton, 32, and Andrew O’Dwyer, 36 — who died last week battling blazes southwest of Sydney.

The wildfire crisis forced Morrison to cut short his much-criticised family vacation in Hawaii. He returned to Australia on Saturday night.

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