Thousands of people were forced to shelter on a beach to escape bushfires in the Australian state of Victoria. The seaside town of Mallacoota was surrounded by flames. There have been multiple emergency warnings in Victoria and New South Wales. At least two people have died and dozens of homes feared lost.
The sky in Mallacoota was turned a grotesque red as strong winds pushed out-of-control bushfires towards the popular seaside town about 500 kilometers east of Melbourne.
Thousands of people were trapped, and sought shelter on the beach.
Some waded into the water to escape red hot embers that rained down. Others fled by boat, and watched as the flames approached.
“That behind me [...] Mallacoota," says a resident. "The fire front has come through. Everyone is safe and sound, for the girls and the dogs up the front, got supplies but I hope everyone just gets into the water. It is chaos. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
There was relief in Mallacoota later Monday when a change in wind direction diverted the fires away from the town.
But once again very hot temperatures and gusty winds have conspired to make this another dangerous and destructive day. At least two people have died, and several others are unaccounted for as dozens of blazes burn in south-eastern Australia. The authorities fear many houses have been lost.
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said this was the state’s worst bushfire season on record.
As the fires rage, so has the debate over Sydney’s lavish New Year’s eve fireworks display. Thousands of people signed a petition calling the event an ‘insult’ to bushfire-hit regions, but organizers said it was too late cancel the festivities.
Twelve people have died since the crisis began in September. What Australia needs is fire-drenching rain, but no significant falls are expected for at least another month.
