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SYDNEY (AP) — Thousands of firefighters are battling wildfires burning throughout southern Australia, with residents fleeing their homes as strong winds fan the flames.
Officials said on Saturday that six homes had been destroyed by the fires. No serious injuries have been reported.
Dry conditions and temperatures in the upper 30s Celsius (around 100 degrees Fahrenheit) were causing headaches for firefighters struggling to contain the flames. Officials said it could take days to get the blazes under control.
The worst of the fires was in the Adelaide Hills in South Australia, where the flames have destroyed five homes and threatened hundreds more. Residents of 19 communities have been asked to evacuate.
Destructive wildfires are common across much of Australia during the summer months.
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