Australia Bushfire 'Started By Army'

By Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent

A massive fire burning in Australia's Blue Mountains west of Sydney was caused by explosives training being carried out by the Department of Defence, a probe has found.

The Rural Fire Service said an investigation had found the training exercise was responsible for causing the blaze, which has burnt out more than 46,000 hectares and sparked fears of it becoming a "mega-fire".

"The investigation has concluded the fire started as a result of exploding ordnances on the range on Wednesday," said an RFS spokesman.

Blue Mountains mayor Mark Greenhill told the ABC even though there was no fire ban on the day the fire started the exercise should not have gone ahead.

"I would have hoped on a day like that which was a dry day, a hot day, with the winds - the Australian military would have known it wasn't a good time to be igniting," he said.

Fire crews have been working flat-out for a week to contain the blazes

"The fire has caused great concern to my community and it just shouldn't have happened."

A Department of Defence statement said: "Defence is aware the NSW Rural Fire Service is of the view that the cause of the State Mine Fire near Lithgow was as a result of a Defence live ordnance exercise at Marangaroo Training Area."

The statement said it "continues to co-operate fully" with the investigation and is also conducting its own inquiry.

The news comes after another day of drama for the bushfire crisis in the state of New South Wales.

Strong winds and hotter temperatures forced authorities to declare the situation was "as bad as it gets" prompting all schools in the Blue Mountains region to close and many businesses to shut. Thousands of locals also fled the area.

Last week the town of Springwood and the surrounding area lost more than 200 homes.

The ruins of a fire-damaged house in the Blue Mountains

At one stage Springwood came under renewed attack, as strong winds pushed burning embers towards houses.

Thick smoke hung over residential streets as water bombing aircraft and fire trucks targeted new areas of burning bush.

Speaking to Sky News, resident Craig Robinson said he was staying to protect his home which backs onto the bush.

"I won't go until they tell me I can't stay" he said. "We feel well prepared. We have cleared around the house and we have moved out valuables, cars and animals so we will wait and see what happens."

Back burning efforts in recent days along with non stop water bombing meant no properties were lost despite the threat and residents were told it was safe for them to return to their homes.

NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitszimmons declared firefighters had triumphed in extreme conditions.

"It would be safe to head back home tonight because the risk has been averted," he said.

Helicopters are used to drop water onto the flames

However, he warned there was still a lot of difficult and dangerous firefighting being carried out.

State Premier Barry O'Farrell lauded the "magnificent planning and preparation" which helped avert disaster.

Authorities expect a southerly change tonight but it will be dry and bring "fairly strong" south-west winds tomorrow, meaning the danger is still not over.

Meanwhile, as questions were being asked about the army's role in starting one of the fires, Prime Minister Tony Abbott was forced to deny climate change was to blame.

Speaking on 3AW radio he said "look, climate change is real, as I often said, and we should take strong action against it, but these fires are certainly not a function of climate change, they are just a function of life in Australia."

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