Firefighter killed and at least 2 homes destroyed by Australian spring wildfires

SYDNEY – A firefighter has been killed and at least two homes have been destroyed by Australian wildfires in recent days.

Country Fire Service chief officer Greg Nettleton says a 38-year-old volunteer firefighter died after being severely burned Friday while battling a blaze on a farm near the town of Nantawarra in South Australia state.

Rural Fire Service spokesman Ben Shepherd says at least two homes were razed by wildfires Saturday on the outskirts of the town of Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney.

Shepherd says that by late Saturday the winds had dropped and the danger had decreased, although the blaze remained out of control.

The damage that the spring wildfires have brought is being assessed.