Australian Bushfires May Intensify on Christmas Day, ABC Says
Smoke from a bushfire in the Grampians shrouds the city of Melbourne Dec. 20.
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Large bushfires burning in western Victoria are burning out of control, and the authorities are concerned that they may intensify on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported, citing the Country Fire Authority.
The fire was burning over 34,000 hectares (84,000 acres) on Sunday morning, and emergency warnings to leave remain in place for the town of Halls Gap and other communities in the Grampians region, the ABC reported. Halls Gap is a town of some 495 residents, according to the latest census, and lies about 250 kilometers (155 miles) west-northwest from Melbourne.