More than 100 people spent the first few days of the year trapped inside a movie theater as Australia's deadly wildfires raced across their homes and tents in Mallacoota, a popular vacation spot in the state of Victoria.
Among the refugees was a 34-year-old Canadian mother whose family had just flown to Australia for the holiday when sirens went off at the Mallacoota Campground on Dec. 31.
"We quickly tried to pack things up but had to leave lots," Meaghan Wegg told CNN. "(We) ended up grabbing the kids and ... running through water to get to another shelter point, a campsite."
The Montreal choreographer, her Australian husband and her two children, ages 3 and 5, eventually made their way to the theater, which became the main shelter for about 100 to 200 people, according to the network.
"We slept on the floor at the cinema, but the Red Cross ladies were super supportive and helpful," Wegg told CNN.
The woman managed to plug in an iPad so her kids would be distracted with games and shows, but their fate remained a mystery as the massive fire continued to approach and government helicopters struggled to land in the area because of the smoke. Wegg's family was finally rescued over the weekend, she told her followers on Instagram.
"We are in shock and will take some time to rest and heal mentally," she wrote.
The Mallacoota bushfires forced about 4,000 people to evacuate to nearby beaches and other coastal areas. The seaside town was under terrifying conditions, with ash raining down on the region amid a shade of bright red in the sky.
More than 15 million acres of land have burned nationwide since September, when blazes began to sweep through Queensland and New South Wales. As of Monday, the fires have killed at least 24 people, including three volunteer firefighters, and nearly half a billion animals.
