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CNN Live At Daybreak

Residents Evacuate as Fires Close in on Australian Homes

Aired January 02, 2002 - 05:06   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOIE CHEN, CNN ANCHOR: High temperatures and gusting winds are making it really tough for Australian firefighters trying to protect the capital Sydney.

Stephanie Kennedy has the latest on the fires ravaging that region.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHANIE KENNEDY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The feared southerly winds finally kicked in late this afternoon. Seventy kilometers per hour, driving the front towards homes. Enormous flames swept through the Blue Mountains National Park, Springwood in its path. Fire officers on some trails had no choice but to pull back.

Neighbors banded together to save this house in Bee Farm Road (ph), using whatever they could lay their hands on.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's just a spark off this. You know, people are in danger. It's still going down there, look.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I know. I tried getting down there but I nearly died in the smoke.

KENNEDY: Then the water bombers save the day. Fire officers had been expecting the worst.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is a massive fire moving towards them. Back burning has now been completed to almost Wentworth Falls (ph), which alone is a Herculean achievement.

KENNEDY: Residents spent another day nervously waiting. Long- term residents say this is the worst fire they've seen in more than 20 years.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're ready to go if we should have to go and make a move. We don't really want to. We want to save our homes. It's all we've got and all our treasures and possessions are here.

KENNEDY: Late yesterday, it was the turn of hundreds of Kurrajongs (ph) residents to evacuate.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The two fires are converging, I think. That's the worry. KENNEDY: Back burning overnight saved their homes, but fire chiefs concede it will be days before these fires are extinguished.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHEN: There you go. And that was Stephanie Kennedy reporting for CNN from the outskirts of Sydney.

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