Aussie bush fire conditions ease slightly

SYDNEY, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- Weather conditions have improved slightly for firefighters battling blazes in Australia's New South Wales, meteorologists said Sunday.

Emergency fire warnings were eased for most parts of the state as a change in wind conditions brought some relief, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported.

But thousands of crew members remained on the job, the broadcaster said. Almost 2,000 of them were on the ground Sunday, with 1,700 still deployed to battle 90 blazes. Some of those fires were threatening homes, the ABC reported.

New South Wales Emergency Services Minister Steve Whan told reporters that 50 aircraft were working Sunday around the state as sweltering temperatures continued to dominate. The mercury climbed to 108.5 degrees in Sydney, while at Walgett in northwestern New South Wales, the temperature reached 109.5 degrees.