Australia fires: devastated communities brace for even worse weekend

Australian navy evacuates 1,000 people from the southeastern town of Mallacoota while Saturday could bring even more catastrophic conditions

University of Sydney study estimates that 480 million animals have died in the state of New South Wales since September

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Evacuees from Mallacoota, Victoria State, boarding the Royal Australian Navy MV Sycamore, at sea, during bush fire relief efforts. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 4:00am, 4 Jan 2020Updated: 5:50am, 4 Jan 2020

Beleaguered Australian communities braced for yet more catastrophic bush fire conditions expected on Saturday, as the country’s navy evacuated around 1,000 people from a southeastern town.

In the town of Mallacoota, residents and tourists hemmed to the foreshore since New Year’s Eve fires clambered aboard landing craft with family, pets and a few belongings.

By late Friday, about 1,000 had been taken aboard the HMAS Choules and the MV Sycamore, which were to sail down the coast to safety.

Meanwhile, a University of Sydney study estimated that 480 million animals have been killed in just the state of New South Wales (NSW) since September 2019; according to a statement released on Friday, the authors said the “highly conservative” mortality calculations could mean the toll could be “substantially higher”.

The scale of Australia’s unprecedented months-long bush fire crisis has shocked the country and the world.

Since late September, at least 20 people have died, dozens have gone missing, more than 1,300 homes have been damaged and an area roughly double the size of Belgium or Hawaii has burned.

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