Sydney: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison cut short a Hawaii holiday on Friday following a barrage of criticism for vacationing while his country endured an unprecedented bushfire crisis.
Pressure had been piling up on Morrison over his vacation this week, as thousands of exhausted volunteer firefighters battled blazes across the country and millions of people in Sydney choked on toxic smoke.
"I deeply regret any offence caused to any of the many Australians affected by the terrible bushfires by my taking leave with family at this time," Morrison said in a statement Friday.
Meanwhile Two volunteer firefighters were killed and three others injured while working to contain one of the fires that was burning unchecked near Buxton, around 100 km southwest of Sydney, when the firefighters' truck overturned after crashing into a tree. They were battling the fire at Green Wattle Creek, which destroyed homes and posed a grave threat to the surroundings.
