Google disaster map aids Australia against bushfire

MELBOURNE -- The US based internet giant Google has provided a national disaster map of Australia, helping the country to fight against the current serious bushfire threat.

According to the News group report, the Google Australia Crisis Map has already been launched for the state of New South Wales which faces the worst fire threat in history, due to the traffic jam of NSW's Rural Fire Service website.

From Tuesday, the internet giant started to provide fire information nationwide, including states of Tasmania, Queensland, South Australia and the Australian Capital territory, indicating bushfire areas and providing warnings for places in potential danger.

"Our goal is to add more information over time, like closed roads, so it becomes a rich resources," Google crisis response project manager Nigel Snoad was quoted as saying.

All information needed for the national disaster map will be gathered from official state emergency agencies and the company is working to include more states. In the future, the company will include more disaster warnings like flash flood.

According to him, the information can be accessed from mobile devices as well as the website. Travelers and local residents can search if their intended places are under fire threat or not.