The reprieve came as Prime Minister Scott Morrison defended both his government's climate change policies and his decision to go on holiday to Hawaii last week. Australia's most populous state of New South Wales declared a seven-day state of emergency Thursday as oppressive conditions fanned around 100 wildfires. (Dean Lewins/AAP Images via AP)The leader of New South Wales, Gladys Berejiklian, said "catastrophic" fire conditions on Saturday in parts of the prime minister's home state had destroyed communities. Nearly 100 fires were still burning across New South Wales late on Sunday afternoon, though none were rated as emergencies. But authorities stated that large fires would continue to burn across New South Wales without significant rainfall, which is not forecast for many weeks.

Source: Irish Independent December 22, 2019 09:45 UTC