Sydney, Sep 14 (IANS): The Australian navy base at Jervis Bay was evacuated on Thursday after a forest fire along the southeast coast of the country spiralled out of control, officials said.
The Rural Fire Service of New South Wales issued an emergency warning advising people to evacuate as the fire advanced towards the Jervis Bay Village in the Booderee National Park, Efe news reported.
Authorities also evacuated campsites in the area and shut down major roads close to the village of 250 residents. The naval base had kept military personnel and helicopters on alert to provide help in emergency operations, ABC news reported.
Recent scientific studies had warned about increased risk of forest fires in Australia due to extreme heat waves and higher carbon dioxide emissions. The forest fire seasons vary a lot in Australia depending on the region and meteorological conditions.