Wildfire creates state of emergency in Australian capital

The threat is posed by a blaze on Canberra’s southern fringe that has razed more than 53,000 acres.

The Australian capital region has declared a state of emergency because of an out-of-control forest fire burning erratically to its south.

It is the first fire emergency for the Australian Capital Territory since 2003 when wildfires killed four people and destroyed almost 500 homes in a day.

The threat is posed by a blaze on Canberra’s southern fringe that has razed more than 53,000 acres since it was sparked by heat from a military helicopter landing light on Monday, the Emergency Services Agency said.