Australian Coal Mine On Fire For Three Weeks

  
On February 9 ,2014 an arsonist lit a bushfire that spread to the site in Morwell, Victoria, leaving Hazelwood open-cut mine ablaze. Coal mine fires like this one are particularly hard to put out because they are difficult for firefighters to access underground.

Photographs show out-of-control fire at Hazelwood open-cut coal mine, which has left the Victorian town of Morwell exposed to smoke and ash.

The fire is burning over 400 hectares of land, with flames reaching between 20 and 50 metres high and smoke from the fire is causing rising levels of carbon monoxide for nearby residents in the town of Morwell

Helicopter water bombs the fire at Hazelwood coal mine in Victoria, Australia

 Smoke drifts over the Hazelwood coal mine, causing a health hazard to the nearby community

Emergency officials says that although an evacuation has not been declared, they are recommending people leave the area if they are affected by the smoke.