Australias government to pay whatever it takes to fight wildfires

January 6, 2020 - 9:34 AM

A photographer captures smoke at Parliament House on January 05, 2020 in Canberra, Australia. Smoke haze across Eastern Australian cities has become common in recent months as bushfires continue to burn. Hundreds of fires continue to burn in NSW, Victoria and South Australia, with the Australian Defence Force now called in to help with firefighting and rescue efforts. 14 people have died in the fires in NSW, Victoria and SA since New Year's Eve. (Rohan Thomson/Getty Images/TNS)

SYDNEY (AP) Australias government said today it was willing to pay whatever it takes to help communities recover from deadly wildfires that have ravaged the country.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the government was committing an extra 2 billion Australian dollars ($1.4 billion U.S.) toward the recovery effort in addition to the tens of millions of dollars that have already been promised.

The fires are still burning. And theyll be burning for months to come, Morrison said. And so thats why I outlined today that this is an initial, an additional, investment of $2 billion. If more is needed and the cost is higher, then more will be provided.

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