Homes in Canberra were expected to come under threat from a bushfire on Tuesday evening as an out-of-control blaze in the Orroral Valley – accidentally lit by a military helicopter – ran towards the southern edge of the city.

The 8,000-hectare blaze has been downgraded to “watch and act” level following moderate weather conditions overnight, and no properties were under threat on Wednesday morning. But predicted Canberra temperatures in the high-30s for the rest of the week and over 40C on the weekend are set to worsen fire conditions.

 

Family And Friends Mourn The Other Victims Of Calabasas Helicopter Crash

 

The blaze was started in the Namadgi national park, a rugged mountainous area to Canberra’s south, by an Australian Defence Force helicopter carrying a landing light, the heat from which sparked the blaze in hot and dry conditions.

Late on Tuesday afternoon, residents of Tharwa, a village of about 80 people to Canberra’s south, were told it was too late to leave and they should seek shelter as the fire front approached.

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