Australia evacuates parts of its capital as bushfire conditions return

Alisha Stoneham returns to her property, where she and her partner were nearly caught in the flames before narrowly escaping, following the recent bushfires in Conjola Park, New South Wales, Australia, January 21, 2020. REUTERS/Loren Elliott

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Some residents of Australia's capital Canberra were evacuated briefly on Wednesday after a bushfire broke out near the airport as searing hot weather ended a few days of respite and the number of out-of-control blazes surged in the southeast of the country.

Roads were closed and the authorities told people to leave or stay away from suburbs east of Canberra, as photos posted on social media showed grey smoke billowing above the city's suburbs. There were no reports of injuries or damage, and the warning was downgraded an hour later.