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Photos: Thousands of people trapped as fires encircle Australian towns

Australia's unprecedented bushfires have been burning for months, but the latest in a series of heatwaves and high winds have wrought new devastation. The crisis has also hit cities like Sydney and Melbourne, home to several million people. Three people have died, five more are unaccounted for, and scores of properties were feared destroyed after a brutal 24 hours in which flames reached well-populated towns like Batemans Bay, normally bursting with visitors during Australia's summer holidays.

Updated on: Dec 31, 2019 6:08 PM IST

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Firefighters inspect the area as they battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra in the Australian state of New South Wales. Thousands of holidaymakers and locals were forced to flee to beaches in fire-ravaged southeast Australia on Tuesday as blazes ripped through popular tourist areas leaving no escape by land. (Saeed Khan/AFP)

Updated on Dec 31, 2019 6:08 PM

Firefighters inspect the area as they battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra in the Australian state of New South Wales. Thousands of holidaymakers and locals were forced to flee to beaches in fire-ravaged southeast Australia on Tuesday as blazes ripped through popular tourist areas leaving no escape by land. (Saeed Khan/AFP)

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Amy (L) and Ben Spencer sit at the showgrounds in the southern New South Wales town of Bega where they are camping after being evacuated from nearby sites affected by bushfires. AFP reports that dozens of properties were feared to have been destroyed since late Monday and at least seven people were unaccounted for in New South Wales and Victoria states as flames reached well-populated towns like Batemans Bay. (Sean Davey/AFP)

Updated on Dec 31, 2019 6:08 PM

Amy (L) and Ben Spencer sit at the showgrounds in the southern New South Wales town of Bega where they are camping after being evacuated from nearby sites affected by bushfires. AFP reports that dozens of properties were feared to have been destroyed since late Monday and at least seven people were unaccounted for in New South Wales and Victoria states as flames reached well-populated towns like Batemans Bay. (Sean Davey/AFP)

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A firefighter speaks to a resident trying to hose down her home in the hope of saving it from nearby bushfires around the town of Nowra. In some places the blazes were so intense, the smoke so thick and the fire-provoked dry lightning storms so severe that aerial reconnaissance and water-bombing had to be halted, the New South Wales Rural Fire Service said to AFP. (Saeed Khan/AFP)

Updated on Dec 31, 2019 6:08 PM

A firefighter speaks to a resident trying to hose down her home in the hope of saving it from nearby bushfires around the town of Nowra. In some places the blazes were so intense, the smoke so thick and the fire-provoked dry lightning storms so severe that aerial reconnaissance and water-bombing had to be halted, the New South Wales Rural Fire Service said to AFP. (Saeed Khan/AFP)

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A burnt-out residence is seen in Sarsfield, East Gippsland, Victoria. In Mallacoota, smoke turned day to night and the authorities said nearby fires were causing extreme thunderstorms and ’ember attacks’. (James Ross/AP)

Updated on Dec 31, 2019 6:08 PM

A burnt-out residence is seen in Sarsfield, East Gippsland, Victoria. In Mallacoota, smoke turned day to night and the authorities said nearby fires were causing extreme thunderstorms and ’ember attacks’. (James Ross/AP)

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A firefighter walks past burning trees during a battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra. AFP reports that authorities had for days been warning tens of thousands of tourists enjoying Australia’s summer holidays to leave the area but for thousands it was now too late to leave. Temperatures in bushfire areas can hit hundreds of degrees Celsius (Fahrenheit) killing anyone nearby long before the flames reach them. (Saeed Khan/AFP)

Updated on Dec 31, 2019 6:08 PM

A firefighter walks past burning trees during a battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra. AFP reports that authorities had for days been warning tens of thousands of tourists enjoying Australia’s summer holidays to leave the area but for thousands it was now too late to leave. Temperatures in bushfire areas can hit hundreds of degrees Celsius (Fahrenheit) killing anyone nearby long before the flames reach them. (Saeed Khan/AFP)

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Aerial view of bushfires near Bairnsdale in Victoria's East Gippsland region. Australia’s unprecedented bushfires have been burning for months, but the latest in a series of heatwaves and high winds have wrought new devastation. The crisis has hit cities like Sydney and Melbourne, home to several million people. (Tate Government of Victoria/AFP)

Updated on Dec 31, 2019 6:08 PM

Aerial view of bushfires near Bairnsdale in Victoria's East Gippsland region. Australia’s unprecedented bushfires have been burning for months, but the latest in a series of heatwaves and high winds have wrought new devastation. The crisis has hit cities like Sydney and Melbourne, home to several million people. (Tate Government of Victoria/AFP)

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The remains of burnt out buildings are seen along the main street in the New South Wales town of Cobargo. AFP reports that the crisis has focused attention on climate change—which scientists say is creating a longer and more intense bushfire season—and sparked street protests calling for immediate action to tackle global warming. (Sean Davey/AFP)

Updated on Dec 31, 2019 6:08 PM

The remains of burnt out buildings are seen along the main street in the New South Wales town of Cobargo. AFP reports that the crisis has focused attention on climate change—which scientists say is creating a longer and more intense bushfire season—and sparked street protests calling for immediate action to tackle global warming. (Sean Davey/AFP)

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