24 charged, accused of ‘deliberately-lit’ bush fires in Australia; death toll reaches at least 25
SYDNEY (WBTW) – As bush fires continue to burn across Australia, 24 people have been charged and are accused of “deliberately -lit’ bush fires in Australia.
The New South Wales Police Force says since November 8, they’ve taken legal action against more than 180 people, including 40 juveniles, for bush fire-related offenses.
The police force says 24 people “have been charged over alleged deliberately-lit” bush fires, 53 people “have had legal actions for allegedly failing to comply with a total fire ban,” and 47 people “have had legal actions for allegedly discarding a lighted cigarette or match on land.”
Blackened trees poke through the scorched ground after a wildfire ripped through near Kangaroo Valley, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020. The deadly wildfires, which have been raging since September, have already burned about 5 million hectares (12.35 million acres) of land and destroyed more than 1,500 homes. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
In this undated photo taken and provided by Mike Barth, Daniella Teixeira, who is working on a doctoral degree about the birds at The University of Queensland, holds the shiny black-cockatoo in Kangaroo Island, Australia. Devastating wildfires over recent days have undone decades of careful conservation work on Kangaroo Island and have threatened to wipe out some of the island’s unique fauna altogether.(Mike Barth via AP)
Smoke from wildfires shrouds a road near Moruya, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020. Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison called up about 3,000 reservists as the threat of wildfires escalated Saturday in at least three states with two more deaths, and strong winds and high temperatures were forecast to bring flames to populated areas including the suburbs of Sydney. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
In this Monday, Dec. 30, 2019 photo provided by State Government of Victoria, a helicopter tackles a wildfire in East Gippsland, Victoria state, Australia. Wildfires burning across Australia’s two most-populous states trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions Tuesday, Dec. 31, and were feared to have destroyed many properties and caused fatalities. (State Government of Victoria via AP)
A Forest Corporation worker manages a fire hose as he battles a fire near Moruya, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020. Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison called up about 3,000 reservists as the threat of wildfires escalated Saturday in at least three states with two more deaths, and strong winds and high temperatures were forecast to bring flames to populated areas including the suburbs of Sydney. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Firefighters drag a hose to battle a fire near Bendalong, Australia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. Navy ships plucked hundreds of people from beaches and tens of thousands were urged to flee before hot, windy weather worsens Australia’s devastating wildfires. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
This Jan 2, 2020, photo captured by NASA’s Terra satellite and made available by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), shows thick smoke blanketing southeastern Australia along the border of Victoria and New South Wales. More than 200 fires are burning in Australia’s two most-populous states. Blazes have also been burning in Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania. (NASA via AP)
In this satellite image released by Copernicus Sentinel imagery, 2020 twitter page dated Dec. 31, 2019, shows wildfires burning across Australia. (Copernicus Sentinel Imagery via AP)
In this photo provided by the Australian Defence Force, HMAS Choules appears as a ghostly figure through smoke haze off the coast of Mallacoota, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020. The Australian Defence Force is moving naval assets to Mallacoota on a supply mission that would last two weeks and helicopters would also fly in more firefighters since roads were inaccessible due to wildfires. (Australian Defence Force via AP)
In this Monday, Dec. 30, 2019 photo provided by State Government of Victoria, a helicopter tackles a wildfire in East Gippsland, Victoria state, Australia. Wildfires burning across Australia’s two most-populous states trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions Tuesday, Dec. 31, and were feared to have destroyed many properties and caused fatalities. (State Government of Victoria via AP)
FIEL – In this image made from video taken on Dec. 22, 2019, and provided by Oakbank Balhannah CFS, a koala drinks water from a bottle given by a firefighter in Cudlee Creek, South Australia. Thousands of koalas are feared to have died in a wildfire-ravaged area north of Sydney, further diminishing Australia’s iconic marsupial, while the fire danger accelerated Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019 in the country’s east as temperatures soared. (Oakbank Balhannah CFS via AP, File)
In this image made from video taken on Dec. 23, 2019, and provided Dec. 25, 2019, by Ingleside Rural Fire Brigade, fire brigade volunteers trying to tackle the fire in Kurrajong Heights, New South Wales. Australian authorities have warned that the fires in New South Wales could fester for months, causing more angst for exhausted firefighters.(Ingleside Rural Fire Brigade via AP)
In this image made from video, an aerial scene shows wildfires burning in the Adelaide Hills, Australia, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2019. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation via AP)
In this Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, photo, NSW Rural Fire Service crew fight the Gospers Mountain Fire as it impacts a property at Bilpin, New South Wales state, Australia. Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday, Dec. 22, apologized for taking a family vacation in Hawaii as deadly bushfires raged across several states, destroying homes and claiming the lives of two volunteer firefighters.(Dan Himbrechts/AAP Images via AP)
A home stands as smoke from the Grose Valley fire rises in the distance in Bilpin, west of Sydney, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019. Australia’s most populous state has been paralyzed by “catastrophic” fire conditions Saturday amid souring temperatures as wildfires also ravaged the country’s southeast. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts) NO ARCHIVING
Rural Fire Service crew engage in property protection of a number of homes along the Old Hume Highway near the town of Tahmoor, New South Wales, as the Green Wattle Creek Fire threatens a number of communities in the southwest of Sydney, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019. Australia’s most populous state of New South Wales declared a seven-day state of emergency Thursday as oppressive conditions fanned around 100 wildfires. (Dean Lewins/AAP Images via AP)
A water taxis drives by as smoke haze hangs over the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019. The annual Australian fire season, which peaks during the Southern Hemisphere summer, has started early after an unusually warm and dry winter. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
This Nov. 11, 2019, satellite photo taken by NASA shows the weather condition as bushfires burn in the eastern part of New South Wales state. Ferocious wildfires are burning at emergency-level intensity across Australia’s most populous state and into Sydney suburbs as authorities warned most populations in their paths that there was no longer time to flee.(NASA via AP)
In Monday, Nov. 11, 2019, photo, firefighters work on a controlled burn in Koorainghat, New South Wales state, Australia. Hundreds of schools remained closed across Australia’s most populous state on Tuesday, Nov. 12, and residents were urged to evacuate woodlands for the relative safety of city centers as authorities braced for extreme fire danger. (Darren Pateman/AAP Images via AP)
Firefighters work to contain a bushfire along Old Bar road in Old Bar, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019. Wildfires razing Australia’s drought-stricken east coast have left two people dead and several missing, more than 30 injured and over 150 homes destroyed, officials said Saturday.(Darren Pateman/AAP Image via AP)
Fire and Rescue NSW firefighters conduct property protection as a bushfire burns close to homes on Railway Parade in Woodford NSW, Friday, Nov. 8, 2019. Firefighters battled 90 fires across Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, with the most intense in the northeast where flames have been fanned by strong winds, Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said.(Dan Himbrechts/AAP Image via AP)
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The Associated Press reports 25 people have died so far in the fires and that nearly 2,000 homes have been destroyed. The fires have burned an area about twice the size of Maryland.
The Insurance Council of Australia has said insurance claims have reached nearly 700 million Australian dollars, which is about $485 million U.S. dollars, according to the Associated Press.
A crews of 20 veteran firefighters based in California headed to Australia Monday to help battle the fires.
Actor and native Australian Chris Hemsworth previously announced he and his family would donate $1 million to help fight the fires.
Singer Pink previously said she is donating $500,000 to help fight the fires in Australia.
The Australian government has said they are committing an extra two billion Australian dollars (1.4 billion American dollars) toward recovery efforts in addition to the millions of dollars in funds already promised.
