Record-breaking temperatures and months of severe drought have fuelled a series of massive bushfires across Australia.
The fires, burning since September, have intensified over the past week, with a number towns evacuated. High temperatures and strong winds are forecast for the weekend, creating further fire risk.
Twenty people have so far been killed - including three volunteer firefighters - and about six million hectares (60,000 sq km or 14.8 million acres) of bush, forest and parks have been burned.
The fires, burning since September, have intensified over the past week, with a number towns evacuated. High temperatures and strong winds are forecast for the weekend, creating further fire risk.
Twenty people have so far been killed - including three volunteer firefighters - and about six million hectares (60,000 sq km or 14.8 million acres) of bush, forest and parks have been burned.
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