Australia's military to aid evacuations as deadly wildfires burn
As fires continue to burn out of control in Australia, thousands of people are trapped on ocean beaches. Now, Australia's prime minister, who has been criticized for his lack of action on climate change, is sending in military aircraft to help and assist with evacuations.
According to BBC News, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Defense Minister Linda Reynolds agreed to send help at the request of the Victorian government and the aid will be sent to Victoria and NSW, two of the hardest hit areas.
In New South Wales, firefighters were racing through the flames when their truck was surrounded by the inferno, forcing them to use fire blankets and take shelter in their vehicle until the flames passed.
There are nearly 100 fires burning across that state in what's dubbed as its "worst bush fire season on record." Across Australia, in the last few months, more than 12 million acres have burned, a size that's about twice the land area of Vermont. Record high summer temperatures, strong winds and lightning have only made things worse.
Some fled as far as they could to the beach. Thousands were trapped up and down Australia's southeast coastline, some taking refuge on boats as the smoky sky turned red.
In Victoria, more than 100 communities are under emergency warnings, while some have returned home to see the damage.
"We told mum, we had a good cry together. It's pretty shocking," said Miren Kruse.
More than 1,000 homes have been destroyed across the country and there's no rain in the forecast for days.