The worst wildfire season on record in Australia is likely to become even more devastating due to hot weather and strong winds that have prompted one of the largest evacuations in the country's history.
More than 200 fires are burning, and warnings of extreme danger to come Saturday prompted mass evacuations. Traffic was gridlocked as people fled and firefighters escorted convoys of evacuees as fires threatened to close roads.
Navy ships were called in to pluck hundreds of people stranded on beaches. The devastating early start to the summer wildfire season has made this Australia's worst on record. One official noted the “fire fatigue” but told people not to wait to flee until it was too late.
