Australia fights brushfire outbreaks

CANBERRA, Australia, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Three Australian states have declared bans on outdoor fires in an effort to halt bushfires during a period of dry hot weather.

The three are New South Wales, Victoria and the tiny Australian Capital Territory around Canberra, all in the country's southeast corner, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reports.

In New South Wales, the Rural Fire Service has contained or extinguished 20 brushfires. The weather was expected to become more dangerous this weekend, with higher temperatures and winds and lower humidity.

The regulations mean that any barbecues during the long New Year's weekend must use a contained gas-fired grill. Wood-fire barbecues and campfires are out.