Wildfires

Wildfires - Southern States, USA

Dozens of wildfires continue to burn across southern states on Wednesday, blanketing large areas with smoke and prompting health officials to warn people to stay indoors.

Some 40 large active fires are being tracked by the U.S. Forest Service across at 7 southern states. More than 80,000 acres have burned in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Virginia.

Forestry officials in Tennessee said 11 new fires popped up over 24 hours on Monday, even as crews were spread out battling 67 blazes totaling nearly 16,000 acres across the state. More than 200 patients have been hospitalized in Chattanooga due to breathing difficulties related to the circle of wildfires surrounding the city.

In North Carolina, firefighters are struggling with 15 large fires. Personnel working the state's largest fire, which has burned more than 13,000 acres so far, appeared to have turned a corner. The Tellico blaze, as it is known, was 74 percent contained by Tuesday afternoon.

Smoky conditions have caused health officials across several states to issue air quality alerts and advise residents to avoid outdoor activities.

Fire officials say the largest wildfire in the South has now burned more than 23,000 acres in the north Georgia mountains -- an area larger than the New York City borough of Manhattan. The blaze was 30 percent contained Wednesday morning.

Wildfires - Queensland, Australia

A firefighter has been hospitalised in far north Queensland as nearly a dozen fires burn across the state. Several fires in central Queensland remain within containment lines but heavy smoke is affecting Rockhampton and nearby areas. Fires inland of the Sunshine Coast are also under control but motorists are being asked to drive with caution.