The mayor of a NSW town badly ravaged by out of control wildfires, says climate change cannot be ignored

More than 70 fires are burning across the Australian state - well before the start of summer, when bushfires are expected.

Two people have died in the Kangawalla fire near Glen Innes, and Mayor Carol Sparks says seven other people are unaccounted for.



Carol Sparks says there is utter devastation across her town and many people have lost everything they had.



Dust is crossing the ditch from the New South Wales wildfires.

More than 70 wildfires continue to ravage through the Australian state.

MetService meteorologist Peter Little says some South Islanders might see orange-tinted skies - especially in the eastern part of the island.






Severe weather warnings are in place for several parts of the country - as a series of fronts from the Tasman Sea affect the country this weekend, bringing heavy rain.

The heaviest rain is expected in the west and north of the South Island and also the east of the North Island.

MetService has issued Heavy Rain Warnings for Gisborne north of Ruatoria and also the Gisborne ranges - and for Fiordland, Westland, and the ranges of Buller and Nelson including the Richmond Range.

In addition, Strong Wind Watches are in force for the Canterbury High Country, inland parts of Marlborough, and also central parts of the North Island from Taranaki across to Gisborne and Hawkes Bay.

People are advised to keep up to date with their latest local forecasts.



Police want information about an Ashburton party in relation to the death of a 23-year-old man.

The man's death on Friday night is being treated as a homicide.

Emergency services were called to a McDonald Street property, in the suburb of Netherby about 11.30 - finding the man with critical injuries.

But he died at the scene shortly after.

Now police are appealing for information about a party in the suburb of Tinwald, where people were reportedly threatened.



Icecream company Ben & Jerry's is being accused of false advertising by saying the milk and cream in its products comes from "happy cows."

The complaint has been filed in federal court in Vermont, where Ben & Jerry's was founded.

Environmental advocate James Ehlers says that many of the farms that produce the milk and cream are in fact factory-style, mass production dairy operations - and only some are part of the company's "Caring Dairy" programme.