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Australian PM announces paid leave for public servant firefighters

Morrison spoke to media in Mount Baker in South Australia, where ongoing fires have destroyed about 87 homes and 500 other buildings.

He began his tour to fire zones in New South Wales and on Monday (December 23) was given an aerial tour of the Gospers Mountain fire in the Blue Mountains region.

Devastating bushfires have burnt more than 4 million hectares (9.88 million acres) of land across five states and killed nine people since September.

Uncontrolled fires are still burning in South Australia, after ripping through the state's prominent wine region, and around the country's largest city Sydney.