Sydney Opera House lights up with images of firefighters in Australia

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The Sydney Opera House honored the men and women battling wildfires in Australia Saturday by showing heartfelt messages of thanks on the sails of the building.

“Tonight, we are illuminating the Sydney Opera House sails to show our support for everyone affected by the Australian bushfires. We want to send a message of hope and strength, and importantly to thank the emergency services and volunteers for their incredible efforts and courage,” the Sydney Opera House’s Twitter account said.

The fires in the country have killed at least 27 people, four of which were firefighters, and destroyed more than 2,000 homes. The blazes have scorched an area larger than the state of Indiana.

According to the Associated Press, the crews battling the country’s wildfires said Sunday that they have been able to turn from defense to offense for the first time in weeks thanks to a change in the weather.

Australia has a $1.4 billion recovery fund in place.