Australia's wildfires have claimed another five lives, several people are missing and thousands of people have continued to shelter from fires on beaches at popular tourist spots in two states, authorities say.
The latest: The Australian Defense Force has deployed extra personnel to the states of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia to assist in firefighting efforts, the government confirmed in a statement. The government said it's also sending aid fire-ravaged regions via military ships and aircraft.
- The bodies of three more people were found in fires on New South Wales' South Coast, the NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner told a news conference Wednesday afternoon local time.
- A man's body was found inside a burnt-out car off a major highway on the South Coast, state police said hours earlier before that announcement.
- In Victoria, a 67-year-old man was found dead in his East Gippsland home, the Herald Sun reports.
Dangerous conditions have resulted in significant property loss. Danger for many with conditions set to deteriorate Saturday. BIA teams are working through areas incl Sth Coast, assessing damage. This season 916 homes destroyed, more than 16,000 buildings saved. #nswrfs #nswfires pic.twitter.com/Ds4ikp0vPf
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) December 31, 2019
Evacuations: People in Batemans Bay, NSW, have evacuated to the beach to escape bushfires, per 9 News. The town of nearly 16,000 people on the state's south coast attracts some 2 million visitors a year.
- 4,000 people fled to the beach at the East Gippsland town of Mallacoota in Victoria after evacuating there, fire authorities say.
Batemans Bay residents are now evacuating to the beach, these are the scene captured a short time ago.
— Nine News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) December 31, 2019
LIVE COVERAGE: https://t.co/7oP3HkcPse
LATEST RFS INFORMATION: https://t.co/OUj0yszjdF
📸 - Alistair Prior. #9News pic.twitter.com/jsfk1m8aRu
The victims: The death toll from the wildfires now stands at 17 following several days of intense conditions amid searing heat in Australia's southeast.
The big picture: The Australian Defense Force has been assisting with firefighting efforts in the states of New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, Victoria and South Australia since Nov. 8, the government says.
- Australia's wildfires are so intense, smoke from the blazes has traveled over 1,200 miles to blanket parts of New Zealand's South Island.
Smoke which has travelled around 2,000km across the Tasman Sea can clearly be seen over the lower South Island. Visibility in the smoke haze is as low as 10km in the worst affected areas. Southwesterlies are expected to gradually flush the smoke laden air away from late today ^AC pic.twitter.com/C5k0D4xvyu
— MetService (@MetService) December 31, 2019
So here’s a wee timelapse I took this morning from my house showing the weird sky caused by smoke from the Aussie bushfires as it passes over Portobello. Totally weird day in the Deep South! @MetService #weather #NewZealand pic.twitter.com/9y6TEMSIdk
— Ian Griffin (@iangriffin) January 1, 2020
And another shot of the #bushfire smoke haze over Lake #Wanaka, #NewZealand. This time around Glendhu Bay. pic.twitter.com/LWWDB1mMYL
— MikePole (@Mike__Pole) December 31, 2019
The Remarkables pic.twitter.com/0o42EwPj26
— iNeanderthal (@PublicationsPro) January 1, 2020
Go deeper:
- In photos: Deadly wildfires rage across Australia
- Thousands of koalas likely dead in Australia fires
- Australia wildfires' devastating impact on iconic wildlife
- Australia swelters through hottest day on record
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
