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A12 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 4 January 2020
'Millions of sparks': Weather raises Australia's fire danger

By SHONAL GANGULY is not the day to drop your
STEVE McMORRAN guard."
Associated Press Prime Minister Scott Mor-
SYDNEY (AP) — Wildfires rison said he was inclined
raging across Australia to cancel a scheduled trip
have prompted one of the to India later this month
largest evacuations in the because of the wildfires. In
country's history as what is December, he cut short a
already the worst season family holiday in Hawaii in
on record is likely to be- the face of public anger at
come even more devas- his absence.
tating due to hot weather He made the remarks in
and strong winds. Bairnsdale, Victoria, where
More than 200 fires were he received a warmer
burning, and warnings of welcome than he had in
extreme danger to come another wildfire-ravaged
Saturday prompted mass town a day earlier.
evacuations. Traffic was Morrison cut short Thurs-
gridlocked as people fled day's visit to Cobargo in
and firefighters escorted New South Wales when lo-
convoys of evacuees as cals yelled at him, called
fires threatened to close him an "idiot" and criticized
roads. Navy ships were him for the lack of equip-
called in to pluck hundreds A firefighter covers his face from block smoke as he battles a fire near Bendalong, Australia, ment to deal with the fires
of people stranded on Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Associated Press in town. In a radio inter-
beaches. view, Morrison said he un-
Victoria Premier Daniel An- the U.S. since Harry Truman this week, and Victoria au- Nine. derstood the anger of peo-
drews declared a disaster was president. thorities also said 28 people Choules Commander Scott ple affected by the fires.
across much of the eastern In South Australia state, fire are missing. Fires are also Houlihan said 963 people "People are angry and
part of the state, allowing officials said the weather burning in Western Austra- had signed up for evacua- people are raw and peo-
the government to order conditions were cause lia, South Australia and Tas- tion by sea and more had ple are upset," he said.
evacuations in an area for concern because fires mania. been airlifted to safety. "Whether they are angry
with as many as 140,000 were still burning or smol- The navy evacuated hun- In New South Wales, a state with me or they are an-
permanent residents and dering. dreds from Mallacoota, a of emergency and a to- gry about the situation, all
tens of thousands more va- "The ignition sources are al- coastal town in Victoria cut tal fire ban were in place. I know is they are hurting
cationers. ready there," Country Fire off for days by wildfires that State Rural Fire Service and it's my job to be there
"If you can leave, you must Service chief officer Mark forced as many as 4,000 deputy commissioner Rob to try and offer some com-
leave," Andrews said. Jones said. "There are mil- residents and tourists to Rogers urged people to not fort and support."
The early and devastating lions of sparks out there shelter on beaches. Land- wait to leave, noting four In an interview late Friday
start to Australia's summer ready to go if they break ing craft ferried people to people in the state died with the Australian Broad-
wildfires has already burned containment lines." the HMAS Choules offshore. in their cars as they made casting Corporation's "A
about 5 million hectares This week, at least 445 Evacuees waiting to board late attempts to flee. Current Affair," Morrison
(12.35 million acres) of homes were destroyed the ship described smoke "We know people have got was defensive about his
land, left at least 19 people on the New South Wales and embers flying every- a little bit of fire fatigue. handling of the crisis. He
dead, and destroyed more southern coast and doz- where when the fires were They've been dealing with denied ignoring the warn-
than 1,400 homes. That's ens were burned in Victo- at their worst. this now for months," Rogers ings of fire chiefs that Aus-
more acres burned in Aus- ria. Ten deaths have been "It's just scary waiting," Dani said. "But we need people tralia was heading into a
tralia than any one year in confirmed in the two states Barmeister told Channel to stay focused. Tomorrow catastrophic fire season.q
Inmate dies in new riot at Mexico jail where 16 were killed

Associated Press told the Milenio television gation after the riot.
MEXICO CITY (AP) — An- station that inmates an- Not all of the victims in
other inmate was killed gry over the Tuesday riot Tuesday's riot died from
Thursday at a prison in had attacked prisoners gunshot wounds. Some
northern Mexico where 16 they accused of betraying were stabbed and oth-
inmates died during a riot them that day. ers beaten with objects.
on New Year's Eve. He said the prisoner had No guards or police were
Security officials in Zacate- been battered to death wounded.
cas state said four other by fellow prisoners who Local media reported the
prisoners were injured detached a metal cell prison held members of
in the latest riot at the door and bashed him with various gangs and cartels,
Cieneguillas prison, where it. The four wounded Thurs- including the Sinaloa car-
16 prisoners died on Tues- day also suffered injuries tel and the Gulf and North-
day. from blows. east cartels.
The Public Safety Depart- But in Tuesday's riot, au- Such killings frequently
ment said the prison had thorities confiscated four involve score settling be-
In this May 16, 2009 file photo, soldiers patrol outside the been brought back under guns that they believe tween rival cartel mem-
Regional Center for Social Reintegration in Cieneguillas,
Mexico. control. Zacatecas state were smuggled in during bers or a battle for con-
Associated Press security secretary Ismael visiting hours. Prison guards trol of the prison's illicit
Camberos Hernández were placed under investi- business.q