Merimbula, Australia, Jan 11 (AFP/APP): Massive bushfires in southeastern Australia have a “long way to go”, authorities have warned, even as colder conditions brought some relief to exhausted firefighters and communities on Saturday. After a blustery night that saw a series of massive infernos in New South Wales and Victoria states merge into a mega-blaze four times the size of Greater London, temperatures dropped and rain fell on fire-scarred regions. “Whilst it was a very long and — in parts of New South Wales — difficult night, we’re relieved this morning that no lives have been lost and no substantial property damage,” New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Saturday. The milder conditions are expected to last around a week, giving firefighters time to try to get the fires under control. New South Wales Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons described the conditions as the “best seven days we have had without a rise of very dangerous fire ratings”. In a matter of months, the catastrophic bushfires have killed at least 26 people, destroyed more than 2,000 homes and scorched some ten million hectares (100,000 square kilometres) — an area larger than South Korea or Portugal. University researchers … Continue reading Australia fires ‘long way from over’ but rain brings relief