Bushfire
Aussie bushfire smoke goes stratospheric
More than four months after it formed, a large blob of sooty dust from Australia's massive bushfires is still circling the southern hemisphere. Audio
Australia fires: Nearly 250,000 evacuated amid danger
Nearly a quarter of a million people have been asked to evacuate their homes, with some communities in Victoria given less than an hour to leave amid fire danger in Australia. Temperatures above 40… Audio
Australia fires: Kiwis in NSW prepped for potential onslaught
Residents in fire-affected Australian states are doing their best to prepare for another potential onslaught as the conditions heat up. Kim Savage spoke with New Zealander Melinda Loe, who runs a tour… Audio
New South Wales woman delivering food and water to bushfire affected animals
It's estimated half a billion animals have perished in the Australian wildfires with volunteers scrambling to rescue those left behind. New South Wales woman Lucy Hoy has been setting up food and… Audio
Four people missing and hundreds of homes destroyed in Victoria
Four people remain missing in Victoria and at least 200 homes have been destroyed. A plan to fly three hundred people out of the East Gippsland town of Mallacoota has been abandoned for the day… Audio
Australia enters era of disaster: bushfires and drought
Given the devastation and the geographical spread of bushfires in New South Wales and Queensland this week, a risk reduction expert has warned that Australia needs to prepare for ongoing disasters… Audio
Australia fires : Update
10.30 Bushfires continue to rage in Australia
Across the Tasman, fires continue to burn in New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and Brisbane.
In Queensland firefighters face hot… Audio
Sydney residents "not ready" for catastrophic fires: researcher
People living in the outskirts of Sydney have been warned there are not enough fire engines to serve every house, and not to expect help to come if they call for it, as catastrophic wildfire… Audio
Firefighter hospitalised due to dehydration
Hundreds of people in Nelson-Tasman are spending another night out of their homes as an evacuation notice remains in place as firefighters battle the blaze. Reporter Nita Blake-Persen joins Checkpoint… Audio
Tasman State of Emergency extended for another week
Firefighters are expecting to be battling the Nelson-Tasman fire for weeks to come, while businesses and farmers in the area are counting the cost. Nita Blake-Persen reports from Tasman, where the… Video, Audio
Public briefed on Nelson-Tasman fires
Two community meetings are being held in Nelson tonight to brief the public on the latest on the Nelson-Tasman fire. Reporter Logan Church joins Checkpoint live from the first meeting at Appleby… Audio
Wakefield evacuees allowed to return to their homes
Wakefield residents are being allowed to return to their homes for the first time in days, but are being warned to be ready to leave at a moment's notice. Video, Audio
Extreme volatility of Tasman district fire
The massive fire in the Tasman district is volatile and growing with wind change potentially threatening homes. Light winds are forecast today but conditions are tinder-dry and the risk remains… Audio
Nelson bushfire
A huge swath of bush and pine plantations have been destroyed by a bushfire in the Nelson region. Tinder dry conditions and the continuing hot Summer have created the perfect conditions for this fire… Audio
Nelson bushfires update
RNZ Nelson reporter Tracy Neal with the latest on the massive fire in the Tasman district. Audio
Bushfires in national park south of Sydney
Two out-of-control blazes burning through the Royal National Park in Sydney's south have been downgraded to Watch and Act status, although thick plumes of smoke are still drifting across the city.
Blue Mountains bushfire destroys family home
A family who lost their home in a bushfire in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, say they are lucky to be alive after the fire swept through their home in minutes. Audio