The sheer size and scale of the fires raging in Australia can perhaps best be seen from space.
The big picture: Australia's extreme fires have been made worse by climate change, which exacerbated the country's hot and dry conditions.
Details: Astronauts on the International Space Station caught sight of smoke from the historic fires raging in Australia earlier this month.
- The station was orbiting 269 miles above the Tasman Sea when this photo was taken on Jan. 4.
- This season's bushfires in Australia have been far worse than usual, with severe drought and higher-than-normal heat fueling the flames.
Go deeper... Australia's deadly fires: What you need to know
