SYDNEY, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Police arrested Saturday three teenage boys and two men for allegedly starting some of the 100 bush fires blazing around Sydney in New South Wales.
The arrests came as firefighters braced for fires moving at high speeds and even worsening weather conditions on Sunday. Officials warned that dry Outback winds could push temperatures as high as 104 degrees.
"It is clear that this state (New South Wales) and its six million people face a threat of the sort we haven't faced for 30 years. It is that serious," New South Wales Premier Bob Carr told The Sydney Morning Herald.
"It's very hard to tell exactly where the fire is because of the enormous amount of smoke," said John Winter, public affairs director of the Rural Fire Service.
"With such high temperatures, high winds and low humidity we are likely to see fires take a substantial and uncontrollable run."
With 100 fires burning in an arc around Sydney, so far 160 houses have been destroyed and 4,000 people have been forced to abandon their homes.
"It certainly appears from the weather forecast, with very high temperatures and high winds, that it could be a nasty couple of days ahead," said fire services spokesman Mark Sullivan.
Authorities hope to have 15,000 emergency workers in place around Sydney's outskirts to stop fires spreading, the British Broadcasting Corp. reported.
