Mekong Delta, Central Highlands brace for forest fires

Authorities in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta and Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) regions are taking precautionary measures to protect forests facing high risk of fires due to the prolonged hot and dry weather.

High alert for new Australia bushfires as heat and winds pick up Australian firefighters are on high alert for the possibility that scorching temperatures and strong winds could whip up new bushfires on Thursday, coming after rain brought welcome respite to fire-ravaged areas.

Australian volunteer firefighter charged with lighting bushfires Police in fire-ravaged Australia on Wednesday charged a volunteer firefighter with arson, alleging he lit seven blazes before returning to help colleagues extinguish them.

Bushfire threat spreads in Australia as smoke chokes Sydney The fire danger was elevated across wider swathes of southern Australia on Thursday, with residents warned to avoid at-risk areas as smoke from bushfires choked Sydney and other major cities.

Smoke haze blankets Sydney as bushfire threat rises

Sydney was shrouded in dangerous haze Tuesday as smoke from bushfires blazing along Australia's eastern seaboard sent pollution levels soaring in the country's biggest city.

Greater Sydney faces 'catastrophic' bushfire threat A state of emergency was declared on Monday and residents in the Sydney area were warned of "catastrophic" fire danger as Australia girded for a fresh wave of deadly bushfires that have ravaged the east of the country.

Teen kills two children in latest US mass shooting A 19-year-old has been identified as the gunman in the latest mass shooting in the United States - a rampage that left three dead, including two children, and 12 other people wounded.

Dried Melaleuca forest poses risk of fire

The 43,000ha U Minh Hạ Melaleuca forest has been completely dry since Monday, according to forest rangers of the Mekong Delta province of Cà Mau.

Ancient Hội An battles fire danger

A spate of fires in the ancient town of Hội An is causing concern for citizens and local authorities. A project on fire fighting and prevention is looking for funding of VNĐ240 billion.  

Australian wildfires destroy at least 20 homes At least 20 homes have been razed in the worst fire conditions Australia has seen since a deadly 2009 inferno which killed 173 people, with flames threatening the country's second-largest city, officials said on Monday.