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Australia fires: Rain means they'll likely be out 'in the next 48 hours'

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australia-rain.Image source, Getty Images

A new band of heavy rain could put out all the remaining fires in Australia, the Rural Fire Service (RFS) hopes.

There's been torrential rain in New South Wales over the last few days, after months of drought which led to bushfires.

The rain has already extinguished one of the fires that's burned for months, on the Gospers Mountain.

An spokesman from the RFS said that "all going well" it was likely the remaining fires would be out "in the next 48 hours".

He added: "It would be an absolute miracle. We hope so."

What's been happening in Australia?

Bushfires have been raging since September 2019 across Australia, which has led to thousands of people having to leave their homes.

Hayley looked at how the fires started and why they have developed so quickly...

Media caption,

Australia fires: How did they start and why are they so bad?

While the rain is helping to put out the fires - it is causing flooding issues.

Eight flood evacuation orders have been issued in several towns, and a number of flood warnings have been issued too.

Image source, Getty Images
What is flooding?

The New South Wales Bureau of Meterology said Sydney had seen 391.6mm of rain in four days - that's the wettest since 414.2mm fell between 2-5 February 1990.

But an expert at the Australia National University in Canberra said: ""At this stage, [the rain] is very good news, and certainly much more than people could have wished for or expected