Sydney fires set to worsen

Firefighters and water-bombing aircraft continue to battle the blazes

SYDNEY, Australia (CNN) -- Cooler, calmer weather is offering some respite for thousands of firefighters battling more than 100 bush fires raging in the outskirts of Sydney, but conditions are set to worsen in the coming days.

Authorities warned that the dangerous combination of low humidity, high temperatures and gusting winds would continue into next week, fanning flames that have already destroyed some 150 properties and scorched thousands of acres of farmland and bush scrub in New South Wales.

"Today is a day of some respite, with slightly better weather. But the next four days are likely to be very difficult," Bob Debus, NSW Emergency Services Minister said.

Extra fire crews from Victoria, Queensland and South Australia and a special "Skycrane" helicopter would soon be joining more than 7,000 firefighters and 3,000 support staff already fighting the blazes, authorities said.

The Skycrane is capable of lifting 9000 liters of water (three tanker loads) and would be available for use starting Sunday.

Extraordinary work

VIDEO Correspondent Morgan Ogg reports on how fire crews and residents in Heathcote, Victoria, in southeastern Australia, are responding to threatening blazes (December 27) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   GALLERY Fighting the flames    MORE STORIES • Wildlife hit hard  • Sifting through charred remains  • Australia's erratic summer    COUNTRY PROFILE At a glance: Australia Provided by CountryWatch.com    CNN.com Asia More news from our Asia edition

Firefighters had been struggling to contain a fierce blaze in the lower Blue Mountains west of Sydney that threatened residential areas.

Praising the "extraordinary work" of fire-crews, Phil Koperberg, the NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner said there had been no more losses of property in the area.

"But the fires are still not under control," Koperberg said. "They are uncontained. There are 600 kilometers of fire perimeter burning unchecked."

Apart from the Blue Mountain area, the other main hotspot was south of Sydney.

For the fourth day running, Australia's most populous city and commercial capital, was blanketed in a choking, smoky haze with fires raging in city's outskirts.

Firefighters continued to battle around a dozen separate fire fronts which potentially threaten about two-thirds of suburban Sydney.

While there have been no reports of death or serious injury, dozens of firefighters have been treated for smoke inhalation.

Road and rail links have been severed and electricity supplies cut to around 12,000 properties. The fires have prevented repair crews working.

This summer's outbreak is the worst since 1994, when bush fires roared into the Sydney suburbs, killing four people.

Arsonists

Police say that there was no decision yet on whether to charge three teenagers with arson who were arrested late Thursday.

The trio, all 15, were apprehended after residents allegedly spotted them lighting three separate fires near Wollongong about 100 km (60 miles) south of Sydney. Residents and police doused the flames.

Sydney resident Steve Carey inspects the ruins of his factory razed by the bush fires

The arrests come as police authorities shifted their focus towards searching for arsonists believed responsible for the devastation caused by the bush fires outbreak.

A 19-year old has already faced court in Canberra, the nation's capital over fire charges.

The NSW state government has set up a police taskforce to investigate reports of arson behind many of the fires, some of which have been raging for more than a week.

Police suspect that up to 40 of the blazes ravaging the state were started deliberately.

Acting Premier of NSW Andrew Refshauge said the full force of the law would come down on people found to have deliberately lit any of the blazes.

"We see arson as an atrocious thing," Refshauge told a news conference.

"That is something that is not tolerated," he said, adding that those responsible would be prosecuted.

Damage bill soaring

Prime Minister John Howard has committed Australian defense forces to assist state-based fire services in combating the fires, which are the worst in the state of New South Wales since 1994 when four people were killed.

Howard also pledged $1 million and the banking sector's so-called Big Four banks announced disaster relief programs.

The state government earlier also pledged $1 million to the relief effort.

Insurance groups have estimated damage so far at more than $25 million, but with emergency service authorities warning the fires could burn for another 10 days, that figure is expected to escalate dramatically.