SYDNEY - Australian authorities urged nearly a quarter of a million people to evacuate their homes on Friday and prepared military backup as soaring temperatures and erratic winds were expected to fan deadly bush fires across the east coast.
Emergency alert text messages had been sent to 240,000 people in Victoria state alone, telling them to leave, Mr Crisp said. People in high-risk regions in New South Wales and South Australia states were also urged to think about leaving, but authorities had not provided numbers. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he had given instructions to the military so"that they are to stand ready to move and support immediately" as firefighters battle 150 blazes across the country.
"We don't want job destroying, economy destroying, economy wrecking targets and goals which won't change the fact that there are bush fires or anything like that in Australia," Mr Morrison told 2GB Radio, referring to calls for the government to commit to higher carbon emissions cuts.* There were 134 fires ablaze across New South Wales, with around 50 uncontained on Friday. All other fires were at the"advice" level, the lowest alert rating.
* NSW authorities said just shy of 2,000 homes have been destroyed in the state, half of those in the past 10 days.
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