MELBOURNE, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Firefighters were locked in battle Sunday with wildfires raging across nearly 3,000 square miles of the Australian state of Victoria.
Although calmer weather allowed crews to concentrate on establishing firebreaks, the Australian army announced it would help firefighters for another two weeks. Army engineers, fuel tankers and infra-red equipment were to have been withdrawn Monday.
Attorney General Philip Ruddock said in a statement "it is clear" that Army teams still have work to do and will remain on duty until Jan. 4.
Firefighters and water-bomber aircraft struggled to control bushfires that have been burning for weeks in central New South Wales and northeast Tasmania.
Some of the fires have been contained but more than 12 others still raged across hundreds of square miles.
