NSW: Homes destroyed by bushfires=2

AAP General News (Australia)
12-25-2001
NSW: Homes destroyed by bushfires=2

Emergency Services Minister Bob Debus said firefighters had made the ultimate sacrifice
by missing Christmas with their families to battle the bushfires.

Every Rural Fire Service station in greater Sydney was operational and the NSW Fire
Brigade had put its entire staff on standby, Mr Debus said.

Despite the resources, firefighters were unable to protect all property.

"At least in some places we are suffering some property loss," Mr Debus said.

It was not yet known how many homes had been destroyed but initial reports pointed
to "a few", RFS spokesman John Winter said.

He said firefighters were working to protect homes but the erratic behaviour of the
bushfires made it hard to contain them.

Fires are burning on the north coast, in the Hunter Region, Sydney's west and south
coast with a blanket of haze now covering Sydney.

Meanwhile, 3,000 visitors have been evacuated from the Royal National Park in Sydney's
south and all national parks have been closed in the greater Sydney region because of
deteriorating weather conditions.

AAP sal/jnb/br

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES NSW HOMES 2 SYDNEY

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