Australia's Blue Mountains bushfire deliberately lit
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail
Xinhua, October 25, 2011
Police said on Tuesday a bushfire that broke out in a popular tourist area in Australia's New South Wales (NSW) Blue Mountains was deliberately lit.
The blaze, which started about 2 p.m. (local time) on Monday, burnt 19 hectares at Katoomba in Blue Mountains and forced the evacuation of the local high school and a number of homes.
Detective Inspector Michael Bostock said investigators had found two points where a fire was deliberately started.
"It appears that (the fire had) two points of origin, which is just off a walking track," Bostock told the Australian Associated Press (AAP) on Tuesday.
The rain helped firefighters battle the blaze, which had been contained by the afternoon on Tuesday, the Rural Fire Service (RFS) said.
"Crews will remain on scene just to keep an eye on it overnight and crews will be there mopping up," a spokeswoman for RFS told AAP on Tuesday.
NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell earlier showed his anger and frustration over the fire.
"It's disappointing and disgusting if once again in the Blue Mountains fires have been deliberately lit," O'Farrell told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday .
"The message to would-be arsonists is be prepared to spend a long time in jail if you are stupid enough to engage in these sorts of activities."
Investigators are continuing to probe the circumstances surrounding the bushfire in the Blue Mountains.
Authorities are calling for tourists who were taking pictures around Katoomba on Monday to contact police as they may have photographed the arsonists responsible for the fire.
The fire caused minor damage to seven homes but none was under the threat of burning down.
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)