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| Australia fires: Thousands flee to beach to escape | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Thousands of people have fled to a beach in Victoria, Australia, to escape bushfires racing towards the coast. | |
| Locals in Mallacoota described a "terrifying experience" of camping on wharves and boarding boats under blood-red skies. | |
| Military aircraft and vessels are to be sent to help rescue efforts. | |
| Officials confirmed another two people had been killed by fires in New South Wales (NSW), bringing the fire-linked death toll to 12. | |
| Authorities say four people are missing in Victoria and another in NSW. | Authorities say four people are missing in Victoria and another in NSW. |
| The bodies of the latest victims - believed to be a father and son - were found in the NSW town of Corbargo, which was hit by a massive blaze on Tuesday. | |
| "Very tragic set of circumstances," said NSW police deputy commissioner Gary Worboys. "[They were] obviously trying to do their best with the fire as it came through in the early hours of the morning." | "Very tragic set of circumstances," said NSW police deputy commissioner Gary Worboys. "[They were] obviously trying to do their best with the fire as it came through in the early hours of the morning." |
| In Mallacoota, the local fire service said a change in wind direction had taken the worst of the fires away from the town. | In Mallacoota, the local fire service said a change in wind direction had taken the worst of the fires away from the town. |
| "I understand there was a public cheer down at the jetty when that was announced," said chief officer Steve Warrington. | "I understand there was a public cheer down at the jetty when that was announced," said chief officer Steve Warrington. |
| More than a dozen "emergency-level" blazes span a 500km (310 miles) stretch across two Australian states - from Batemans Bay in New South Wales to Bairnsdale in Victoria. | |
| Several holiday spots along the coast have been cut off and the main road in the region - the Princes Highway - has been closed. | Several holiday spots along the coast have been cut off and the main road in the region - the Princes Highway - has been closed. |
| Victoria's state premier, Daniel Andrews, said navy ships might be called upon to provide food, water and power to the cut-off townships. | |
| 'We were ready to jump into the water' | 'We were ready to jump into the water' |
| In Mallacoota, residents fled to the beach or took up shelter in fortified homes when they heard the warning siren go off at 08:00 local time on Tuesday. | In Mallacoota, residents fled to the beach or took up shelter in fortified homes when they heard the warning siren go off at 08:00 local time on Tuesday. |
| "It should have been daylight but it was black like midnight and we could hear the fire roaring," said David Jeffrey, a local business owner. "We were all terrified for our lives." | "It should have been daylight but it was black like midnight and we could hear the fire roaring," said David Jeffrey, a local business owner. "We were all terrified for our lives." |
| "There's a rock wall that they've built to keep back the sea, and that was where we were going to jump into the water if the radiant heat had hit," he added. | "There's a rock wall that they've built to keep back the sea, and that was where we were going to jump into the water if the radiant heat had hit," he added. |
| The fire swept through the town destroying numerous buildings, but was kept back from the shore by the change in wind. | The fire swept through the town destroying numerous buildings, but was kept back from the shore by the change in wind. |
| Firefighters had gathered at the shore as a last line of defence. | Firefighters had gathered at the shore as a last line of defence. |
| Victoria's state emergency commissioner Andrew Crisp told reporters there were "4,000 people on the beach". | Victoria's state emergency commissioner Andrew Crisp told reporters there were "4,000 people on the beach". |
| Steve Warrington from the fire service said: "It is pitch black, it is quite scary... the community right now is under threat but we will hold our line and they will be saved and protected." | |
| He said there had been "significant property losses" across the entire East Gippsland region in the past days. | He said there had been "significant property losses" across the entire East Gippsland region in the past days. |
| Authorities had urged people in the region - many of them tourists - to stay put because by Monday it was too late and dangerous to evacuate. | Authorities had urged people in the region - many of them tourists - to stay put because by Monday it was too late and dangerous to evacuate. |
| Residents in the NSW holiday towns of Bermagui and Batemans Bay also fled on Tuesday morning to the waterfront or makeshift evacuation sites near the shore. | Residents in the NSW holiday towns of Bermagui and Batemans Bay also fled on Tuesday morning to the waterfront or makeshift evacuation sites near the shore. |
| Locals told the BBC they had "bunkered in" as the front approached, raining ash on the beaches. | Locals told the BBC they had "bunkered in" as the front approached, raining ash on the beaches. |
| "It was bloody scary. The sky went red, and ash was flying everywhere," said Zoe Simmons in Batemans Bay. | "It was bloody scary. The sky went red, and ash was flying everywhere," said Zoe Simmons in Batemans Bay. |
| Firefighter death | Firefighter death |
| Hundreds of massive blazes have destroyed millions of hectares in the eastern states of Australia since September. | Hundreds of massive blazes have destroyed millions of hectares in the eastern states of Australia since September. |
| A "freakish weather event" killed a volunteer firefighter on Sunday, according to the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS). He is the third volunteer firefighter to have died. | A "freakish weather event" killed a volunteer firefighter on Sunday, according to the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS). He is the third volunteer firefighter to have died. |
| Samuel McPaul, 28, a newlywed, was expecting his first child. Powerful winds near the NSW-Victoria border - generated by the fires - lifted his 10-tonne truck off the ground and flipped it over, the service said. | |
| Two other firefighters were also injured and suffered burns. | Two other firefighters were also injured and suffered burns. |
| Temperatures exceeded 40C (104F) in every state and territory at the start of the week, with strong winds and lightning strikes bolstering the flames. | Temperatures exceeded 40C (104F) in every state and territory at the start of the week, with strong winds and lightning strikes bolstering the flames. |
| Meteorologists say a climate system in the Indian Ocean, known as the dipole, is the main driver behind the extreme heat in Australia. | Meteorologists say a climate system in the Indian Ocean, known as the dipole, is the main driver behind the extreme heat in Australia. |
| But much of Australia is also suffering from a record drought and scientists say climate change has worsened the conditions, making it easier for fires to grow. | But much of Australia is also suffering from a record drought and scientists say climate change has worsened the conditions, making it easier for fires to grow. |
| 'Ground blanketed in ash' | 'Ground blanketed in ash' |
| Lucy Martin, BBC News, Merimbula | Lucy Martin, BBC News, Merimbula |
| For many Australians, the final days of 2019 have been a tense and worrying time. The smoke hanging in the sky day after day is a constant reminder of communities on fire. | For many Australians, the final days of 2019 have been a tense and worrying time. The smoke hanging in the sky day after day is a constant reminder of communities on fire. |
| Some are staying inside to avoid the thick, acrid smoke, while others are cancelling holidays or taking long detours to avoid roadblocks. | Some are staying inside to avoid the thick, acrid smoke, while others are cancelling holidays or taking long detours to avoid roadblocks. |
| Here in Merimbula, on the NSW coast, the sun has been blotted out, casting a deep orange haze in the sky. People on the street are describing it as apocalyptic. | |
| The smoke is now so thick it's almost impossible to drive. The ground is blanketed in ash and supermarkets are packed with people stocking up with supplies. | The smoke is now so thick it's almost impossible to drive. The ground is blanketed in ash and supermarkets are packed with people stocking up with supplies. |
| Holidaymakers should be swimming and hiking today, but they're checking into evacuation centres or planning escape routes. | Holidaymakers should be swimming and hiking today, but they're checking into evacuation centres or planning escape routes. |
| Have you been told to evacuate? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Have you been told to evacuate? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |