Remembering Canberra's deadly fires of 2003

The 74 inch telescope at Mt Stromlo Observatory built in 1922 lays gutted by the fires

The 74 inch telescope at the historic Mt Stromlo Observatory was gutted by the January 2003 bushfires in Canberra Source: Getty / Daniel Berehulak

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It's been 20 years since wildfires ripped through the nation's capital, surprising emergency services and leaving behind it a path of destruction. Authorities say they've learned key lessons since, but concerns remain that the Rural Fire Service is under-equipped.

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