Australia fires: Canberra declares state of emergency

By Zehra Nur Duz

ANKARA (AA) - Officials on Friday declared a state of emergency in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) as massive bushfires rage south of Canberra.

The main blaze is burning over about 20,000 hectares, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

It is the worst fire threat to the territory in nearly two decades, and has been upgraded to emergency warning level for the first time since 2003, ABC News reported.

The Emergency Services Agency (ESA) has said that houses are under threat, urging residents to remain alert for potential evacuations.

The 2003 bushfires had killed four people, injured 500 others, and destroyed or damaged over 400 homes.

Australia is dealing with deadly bushfires estimated to have killed 1.25 billion animals with over 20 million acres of land burned.

At least 25 people died while battling the heavy blazes that erupted last August, causing millions of dollars in damage.

New South Wales and South Australia were the most affected regions, as local governments declared emergencies and closed schools to limit casualties.