Residents in small towns near Australia’s capital have returned home to discover what was lost after bushfires fueled by strong winds and searing temperatures tore through the area.
There were fears that the blaze, fueled by temperatures exceeding forty degrees Celsius, could reach Canberra’s southern suburbs, threatening homes and lives.
But containment lines, supported by airdrops of fire retardant helped to keep the blaze back, even in the face of wild winds and elevated temperatures.
Thirty three persons and one billion native animals have been killed and more than two thousand homes destroyed since Australia’s bushfire season began.
