BBC Learning English
Words in the News
Australian bush fires

21 October 2013

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Words in the News

© British Broadcasting Corporation 2013

Page 1 of 2

bbclearningenglish.com

A state of emergency has been declared in New South Wales in Australia as firefighters

continue to battle bush fires. Two hundred homes have been destroyed so far. Weather

conditions are expected to deteriorate with high temperatures and strong winds forecast

in the coming days.

Jon Donnison reports from Sydney for the BBC:

Here amid the smokey haze of the bush, the heat hits the senses. Temperatures are

back in the mid-30s making the work of firefighters increasingly difficult. Helicopters

whirr overhead dumping water on the nearby fire fronts. They’re trying to stop several

fires from merging into one huge blaze spanning hundreds of kilometres.

In several communities, people are being warned not to try and stay put to defend

their homes. With hundreds of houses already destroyed, disaster welfare centres have

been set up where families can start the planning needed to rebuild their lives. Most of

the firefighters are volunteers. Many look exhausted; some have even lost their own

homes.

The fires follow unseasonably hot weather; conditions are expected to worsen

throughout the week with dangerously strong winds forecast on Wednesday and little

let-up in the temperature.

Words in the News

© British Broadcasting Corporation 2013

Page 2 of 2

bbclearningenglish.com

Vocabulary and definitions

haze

heat or smoke in the air

hits the senses

immediately makes you see, hear, smell, taste and

feel it

merging

mixing together

spanning

spreading over an area

stay put

not move

defend

protect (from the fire)

welfare

care and help for people in need

volunteers

people who help to do something without being paid

unseasonably

weather that is not normal for that time of year

little let-up

not much drop or reduction

Read and listen to the story and the vocabulary online:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2013/10/131021_wi
tn_bushfires.shtml

Related story:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24579099