PM apologises for taking holiday during bushfire crisis

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has apologised, admitting he caused a great deal of anxiety in Australia by taking a holiday during the bushfire crisis. Mr Morrison cut his family holiday short and returned home on Saturday night after receiving widespread criticism for leaving the country. One man remains missing, and it is feared dozens of homes have been damaged or destroyed by a mega blaze burning in Upper Turon and the Blue Mountains, north-west of Sydney. Damage assessment teams will head to the fire zones on Sunday, while fire crews take advantage of cooler conditions to strengthen containment lines. Meanwhile in South Australia, financial assistance has been extended to residents affected by the bushfires under the National Disaster Recovery Fund. In Queensland, a total fire ban is in place for large parts of the state as emergency crews attempt to gain the upper hand on blazes. Temperatures are forecast to soar in areas of inland Queensland, eventually moving across the state's east coast. Around 60 fires are currently active in Queensland, with authorities monitoring eight that pose potential threats. Image: News Corp Australia Via news.com.au — Australia’s #1 news site https://www.news.com.au