Pilot dies battling Australian fires

A plane fighting bushfires in the Australian state of New South Wales crashes, killing its pilot.

The plane was dousing water in bushland just south of Sydney.

The accident comes as the military faces criticism for starting one of the major fires.

The fire service says an investigation has found a fire was ignited by live ordnance.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW SOUTH WALES RURAL FIRE SERVICE COMMISSIONER, SHANE FITZSIMMONS, SAYING:

"The fire investigation was conducted. We worked in concert with New South Wales police. We worked in concert with the military. We went out, I won't go into detail of the investigative technique. The fire investigators visited the location. They identified the cause and location, and it was a result of a detonation on the live firing range."

The military says it is cooperating with investigators.

Thousands of firefighters on land and in air have been mobilized to tackle the fires, which have quickly spread in the hot, d