THREATENING BOTH AUSTRALIA’S PEOPLE AND ITS ICONIC ANIMALS.
WE GET MORE NOW FROM
NBC’S MATT BRADLEY.
>> Reporter: TONIGHT
THESE APOCALYPTIC
SCENES HAPPENING
ACROSS AUSTRALIA.
MASSIVE WILDFIRES
CREATING A STUNNING
RED SKY.
THOUSANDS HUDDLING ON
THE BEACH, DESPERATE
TO ESCAPE THE
SCORCHING HEAT FROM
THE FLAMES.
>> PRETTY EXTREME.
IT WAS VERY SCARY.
>> EVERYTHING WENT
WOOF.
>> Reporter: THESE
PEOPLE SHELTERED IN A
BOUQUET ENVELOPED BY
SMOKE.
>> THE CARAVAN TOP
BECAUSE THE FIRE IS
ALONG THE BEACH NOW.
>> Reporter:
OVERWHELMED
FIREFIGHTERS, MOST OF
THEM VOLUNTEER, NOW
BATTLING SOME 120
SEPARATE FIRES AS
AUSTRALIA CALLED ON
ITS MILITARY TO HELP,
EVERY LIVING CREATURE
SCRAMBLING FOR SAFETY.
SMOKE FROM THE BUSH
FIRES CLOSING IN AS A
HERD OF KANGAROOS
DESPERATELY HOP AWAY
FROM THE FLAMES, AND
AS TEMPERATURES
SOARED, KOALAS FACE
DEHYDRATION.
THIS FIREFIGHTER LENLT
A HELPING HAND AND
THIS CYCLIST GAVE
WATER TO A KOALA WHO
COULDN’T DRINK ENOUGH.
>> ANYONE GOT ANYMORE?
HE IS THIRSTY.
>> Reporter: AS MANY
AS 800 KOALAS MAY HAVE
ALREADY DIED IN NEW
SOUTH WALES ALONE.
A NATIONAL CRISIS AT
NEW YEARS.
FIREWORKS A MIX OF
FIRESTORM.
AUSTRALIA IS UNIQUELY
VULNERABLE TO CLIMATE
CHANGE.
THIS PAST YEAR IT
RECORDED ITS DRIEST
SPRING.
AND JUST A FEW WEEKS