Australia: homes and cars destroyed in NSW fires Fires in Australia caused by soaring temperatures and gusty winds have sparked emergencies in parts of New South Wales. Two fires threatened the popular holiday resort of Port Stephens in the Hunter Region. Some people were forced from their homes, several of which were destroyed. Another fire close to Sydney's Olympic Park destroyed dozens of cars and led to the evacuation of hundreds of people. There, 50 firefighters battled the flames in the west of the city as the fire swept through the car park to the Olympic Aquatic Centre. More than 500 people were moved away from the area. They were later allowed back in to retrieve their belongings once the fire was brought under control. More than 40 cars were burnt and up to 100 damaged. The head of the New South Wales fire service said it was investigating the cause of the fires. Temperatures reached the mid-thirties on Sunday, before a cold front was expected to bring much cooler weather. More about: Australia, Fires, Forest fires