Australian Crews Race To Contain Blazes

BALMORAL, Australia (AP) – Exhausted firefighters are racing to shore up defenses against Australia’s wildfires before scorching temperatures return in a few days. Cooler weather was giving a reprieve as firefighters worked on containment lines and military personnel worked to evacuate and aid residents in burned or at-risk areas. But after Australia’s hottest and driest year on record, the rain wasn’t enough to dampen fire risks. The first hints of the financial toll from the disaster are emerging, with the Insurance Council of Australia saying the estimated damage bill had reached 700 million Australian dollars ($485 million).