Fire crews assess damage in NSW as bushfires devastate towns

Authorities are assessing the damage from bushfires raging in the greater Sydney region to see whether it is safe for residents to return home. Cooler temperatures on Sunday allowed firefighters to spend the day strengthening containment lines, as more than 90 fires continue to burn across the state. For a second night in a row, the community of Blackheath in the Blue Mountains was threatened by an emergency level bushfire and while conditions have eased, residents have been warned to remain vigilant. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian also said there is "not much left" of Balmoral, south-west of Sydney, which has been ravaged by the Green Wattle Creek fire. The Prime Minister apologised to Australians for taking an overseas family holiday as fires raged across the country, meeting with bushfire victims in Sydney's south west after conceding in hindsight, he would have made a different decision. Scott Morrison defended his government's response to the bushfire crisis, while also emphasising the need for responsible action on climate change. Image: Getty

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