With the only road in or out blocked for two weeks by fallen and smouldering trees, the usually laid-back beach town, Mallacoota, had grown tense with the hardships that come with isolation. “We must consider the prospect of a monstrous bushfire season, the likes of which we’ve never seen.”Burnt forest near the town of Mallacoota, Australia, on Saturday, Jan 11, 2020. In normal times, the town, surrounded by lush eucalyptus trees, is a haven for wildlife, including kangaroos and koalas. The greatest is clearing a 90-mile stretch of highway from Mallacoota to the town of Orbost in southeastern Australia. In recent weeks, authorities have warned residents of the dangers of trying to cut their own way out of their communities.

Source: bd News24 January 15, 2020 07:18 UTC