Wind drop gives bush firefighters ray of hope

Firefighters battling about 100 bush blazes that have destroyed homes, led to mass evacuations in Australia’s largest state and threatened the continent’s biggest city were today counting on a break in the weather to help contain the infernos.

Fire crews began water bombing affected areas of Sydney’s southern suburbs early today after more fires overnight forced the evacuation of another 1,000 people in the region.

The firefighters were hoping their job would become easier as the fierce winds that have fed the fires eased today and temperatures cooled considerably to around 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees F).

The first blazes started late last week in rural areas amid sweltering summer temperatures. They initially appeared to be contained but the flared again over the weekend. Winds gusting up to 55 mph and 35-degree Celsius (95-degree F) temperatures on Christmas Day left fire crews helpless to contain the flames.

The fires have since destroyed about 140 homes, forced the evacuation of thousands of people, isolated towns and cut highways and rail links across New South Wales and around Sydney. Ambulance crews have treated hundreds of firefighters and residents for respiratory problems, but no serious injuries have yet been reported.

‘‘We are still likely to see some significant property threat throughout today (Thursday) and tomorrow but the milder conditions will give firefighters a much-improved opportunity to try and protect properties that are coming under threat,’’ State Rural Fire Service spokesman John Winter told Seven Network television today.

A thick haze was hanging over Sydney, Australia’s largest city, the result of fires running north to south along its western perimeter, some less than 15 miles away.

Winter said a shift in the wind overnight pushed the fire front toward the southern suburb of Heathcote, forcing a large-scale evacuation. The area, including Sydney’s Royal National Park, was still under threat today, he said.

‘‘The fire has burnt up both sides of the township ... providing quite a few problems ... but pleasingly no properties (have been) lost,’’ Winter said.

‘‘We’re looking at basically the entire Sydney fringe being an exposure and we’ll be working to protect properties in that area,’’ he added.

More than 4,000 people were battling blazes, while a further 200 firefighters and 20 trucks from Victoria state were on their way to Sydney on Thursday to help.

Fire Brigades Commissioner Ian MacDougall said firefighters were facing conditions unlike any ever experienced.

‘‘(An) extraordinary characteristic of this fire is that the onset of night time did not bring any respite and firefighters were continuously deployed in direct property protection throughout the night into this morning,’’ he said.

About 12,000 homes remain without power while residents in affected areas were being urged to boil their drinking water after the bush fires affected water filtration systems.