Christchurch bushfires destroy 11 properties
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Firefighters in Christchurch, New Zealand's second-largest city, have stopped a bushfire's advance on suburban homes overnight. But 11 properties were destroyed in the hill suburbs surrounding Christchurch, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate. Civil defence officials say about 130 firefighters on the ground, aided by more than a dozen helicopters, have stopped the fire from encroaching further into the city. Officials say the plan is to let it burn itself out and believe a forecast of rain over this weekend will help. The bushfire, rare in the country, is the latest emergency to afflict Christchurch, which was heavily damaged by earthquakes in 2011 that killed 185 people.
Source: AM | Duration: 1min 55sec
Topics: bushfire, new-zealand
Firefighters in New Zealand's second-largest city have stopped a bushfire's advance on suburban homes overnight.
But 11 properties were destroyed in the hill suburbs surrounding Christchurch, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate.
Civil defence officials say about 130 firefighters on the ground, aided by more than a dozen helicopters, have stopped the fire from encroaching further into the city.
Officials say the plan is to let it burn itself out and believe a forecast of rain over this weekend will help.
