Australia on alert as ‘catastrophic’ fire threat looms

SYDNEY. KAZINFORM - With more than 100 fires burning in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland, the smoke cloud is so significant it can be seen from space, CNN reports.

In an image released by US space agency NASA overnight, the smoke can be seen over the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand.

«Strong westerly winds fanned the flames and carried smoke several hundred kilometers out to sea,» the agency said in a statement.

Both New South Wales and Queensland have declared a state of emergency around the fires, dozens of which burned uncontrolled on Tuesday.

«(We) will be providing every financial and operational level of support to the rural fire service to get us through what potentially could be the most dangerous bush fire week this nation has ever seen,» NSW Minister for Emergency Services David Elliot said on Sunday.