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Royal couple visit wildfire-affected Aussie town

SYDNEY (AP) — Britain's Prince William and his wife, Kate, visited a town ravaged by wildfires in the mountains west of Sydney on Thursday, as they continue their Down Under tour.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge stopped in the Blue Mountains town of Winmalee to meet with firefighters and locals affected by wildfires that swept through the region last year, destroying more than 200 homes.

William and Kate also visited a Girl Guides hall, where they planted a tree, and later took in the sweeping views of the mountains.

"Here we are five months down the track after we lost our house and for them to come out now, it makes us feel like we haven't been forgotten," said Adrian Harrison, whose house was destroyed in the fires.

The royal couple is on a three-week tour of New Zealand and Australia. Their itinerary includes seeing local wildlife at Sydney's harbor side zoo and traveling to Uluru, the iconic red sandstone monolith in the Outback.