Fire burns towards towns in Australia's east

Dangerous fire continue in Australia's east as about 650 firefighters work to contain several blazes, with the fires already destroying a home on Sunday. The fires were burning in Australia's east amid windy and hot conditions. Firefighters warned people on Tuesday to flee or take shelter if it is too late to leave as warm, in Victoria, eastern Australia.

The firefighters were battling fires across 17,000 hectares, said chief officer of the state's Country Fire Authority. Wind gusts of up to 80 kilometers per hour were reported around East Gippsland, about 250 kilometers east of Melbourne, he said. Emergency services issued evacuation orders for nine rural neighborhoods. Rain was expected to help dampen the flames late in the afternoon, he said.