The warmest winter and hottest September on record plus half the normal amount of spring rainfall left the land tinder-dry. Compounding matters is widespread lightning accompanying storms with little to no rain. One in three Australians lives in New South Wales. Local officials fear that three large fires spreading through the Blue Mountains could merge to form one huge inferno. 1,000+ firefighters (mostly volunteers) are battling blazes across an area the size of Los Angeles. A state of emergency gives firefighters and police the authority to cut off water, power and gas and order mandatory evacuations of areas at risk. A total fire ban is in place for the Greater Sydney region - meaning no fire may be lit in the open, and all fire permits are suspended. The Rural Fire Service said an investigation had found a department of defence training exercise was responsible for causing the blaze, which has burnt out more than 46,000 hectares in one of the fire areas.

Pray: for the hundreds of families who are now homeless, those living in shelters having lost everything and pray also for God’s protection over the firefighters.

More: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/21/world/asia/australia-fires/