Thousands of tourists and residents given under 48 hours to evacuate fire-ravaged coastal communities as Australia braces for a heatwave expected to fan deadly bushfires
In this Saturday, Dec. 21 ,2019, photo, NSW Rural Fire Service crews fight the Gospers Mountain Fire as it impacts a structure at Bilpin.
At least 18 people are now known to have died in one of Australia's most devastating bushfire seasons yet, and there are growing fears the toll could rise dramatically, with officials in Victoria saying 17 people were missing in the state. NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance called it the "largest evacuation of people out of the region ever", with a queue of cars stretching along the highway toward Sydney as thousands flee the area.NSW Rural Fire Service deputy commissioner Rob Rogers said firefighters would be unable to extinguish or even control the raging blazes.
Authorities still have not been able to reach some rural communities, such as the town of Genoa in Victoria.The number of homes confirmed destroyed in recent days has topped 400, with that figure expected to rise as firefighters reach communities still isolated by flames. "Today it's starting to move potentially the tourists in Mallacoota, and residents who may not want to be there," he said.
This season's blazes have destroyed more than 1,300 homes and scorched over 5.5 million hectares across the country -- an area far greater than Denmark or the Netherlands.
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