*Aussie Wild Fire crews pray for rain*

November 30, 2006 09:59am
Article from: AAP

AUSTRALIA - FIREFIGHTERS hope that rain predicted for this morning will
help efforts to keep bushfires in south-east Queensland under control.

Five houses at Coolum, on the Sunshine Coast, were evacuated overnight.
But residents were allowed to return in the early hours of this morning.

It is thought lightning may have caused the fire, and another blaze, at
Pacific Paradise at nearby Maroochydore.

The fires are in dense bushland, making it difficult for fire crews to
access.

Energex crews are working this morning to restore services to 2000
customers left without power after the brief but powerful storm ripped
through the south-east yesterday afternoon.

Meanwhile, yesterday's hot conditions and strong winds also fuelled a
fire, at Kurwongbah, just north of Brisbane.

But crews working through the night had "knocked most of the energy out
of the blaze", a Queensland Fire and Rescue spokesman said today.

Only a shed was damaged, although thick smoke blanketed Brisbane and the
Gold Coast for most of yesterday.

The spokesman said another fire, in dense bushland at Gympie, broke out
last night but easing winds overnight helped fire crews bring it under
control.

"We're hoping that we will get a few showers that will help fire crews
across the south-east this morning," he said.

The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service has asked people not to call the
triple-0 emergency number unless they actually see a fire, after phone
lines became congested yesterday from people phoning about smoke haze.

*
Crews focus on Riverland fires*

November 30, 2006 09:38am
Article from: AAP

FIREFIGHTERS are battling to contain a series of bushfires which have
burnt out 21,000 hectares of scrub in South Australia's Riverland.

The Country Fire Service (CFS) said today the fires posed no immediate
threat to people or property although smoke had drifted over some local
towns by late yesterday.

The largest fire is burning about 43 kilometres north-east of Waikerie.

CFS deputy state coordinator Tim Davis said firefighters had been
working on the Riverland fires for more than 36 hours.

"More than 150 firefighters have been in operation at these fires,
widening existing control lines in preparation for a day of extreme fire
danger today," Mr Davis said.

"We are expecting hazardous fire weather conditions with temperatures in
these areas likely to reach the high 30s or low 40s (Celsius).

"The Bureau of Meteorology has also predicted lightning and while we are
hoping it will not result in the same level of activity as we
experienced last week, we're not taking any chances."

A CFS firefighter was injured yesterday when a fire truck rolled over as
crews battled to contain a blaze in South Australia's.

The firefighter was taken to the local Jamestown Hospital but was
expected to be transferred to Adelaide for treatment.

The extent of the person's injuries were yet to be confirmed.

Two other firefighters in the truck at the time were unhurt.

The crew had been involved in containing a blaze burning since yesterday
near the Bundaleer Forest.

CFS crews yesterday also contained fires burning north of Adelaide and
in the Hincks Conservation Park on Eyre Peninsula.