By Jill Fraser
MELBOURNE, Australia
Exhausted firefighters are finally winning the battle against a massive bush fire that has been raging out of control in South Australia’s Adelaide Hills for six days, local media reported Wednesday.
The huge blaze, which has devastated properties and threatened lives and communities across 48 square miles (12,500 hectares), is now 95 percent contained, South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill said.
The fire, which is burning on the northeastern outskirts of Adelaide, Australia’s fifth largest city, began on Friday and has destroyed up to 38 homes and injured 134 people. It still measures 149,000 miles (240 kilometers) around its perimeter.
Welcome rain fell on much of the fire Wednesday afternoon but the lightning that accompanied it sparked more than 70 new fires and fierce winds caused havoc, ABC News reported.
The 42C temperature dropped to the high 30s in less than an hour, bringing relief to 931 weary firefighting and aid volunteers.
Insurance losses from the fire, the worst in South Australia for 30 years, have already passed $13 million Australian dollars ($10.5 million).
Prime Minister Tony Abbott is expected to announce additional support for South Australian bush fire victims when he flies into Adelaide Thursday from the Middle East, where he has been visiting troops and holding talks.
Abbott has been widely criticized for failing to respond formally to the disaster while overseas.
News Corp reported that Weatherill’s office had confirmed that Abbott had not phoned the state premier over the six days of the fire.
Infrastructure Minister Jamie Briggs, whose electorate has been most impacted by the fire, defended Abbott on ABC radio, saying he had offered support at a Middle East press conference.
Queen Elizabeth II, Australia’s head of state, has sent her thanks and appreciation to the firefighters.
“Our thoughts are with the families who have lost their homes and personal possessions in the fires,” she said in a statement released by South Australian Governor Hieu Van Le.
Hundreds of people have been left homeless in the Adelaide Hills.
More than 1,000 people have volunteered to help with the clean-up and many hundreds more have offered to care for injured animals and provide emergency animal boarding.
