Firefighters in Australia have faced challenging conditions as they tackle more than 300 blazes near Melbourne.
Helicopter footage showed large buildings engulfed in
flames, with residents forced to hurriedly leave their homes with any
belongings that were close to hand.
Searing temperatures in excess of 40C (104F) - coupled with
strong winds - have made it difficult for emergency crews to subdue the
bushfires.
From the skies, small jets have been spraying retardant on
the scorched land below, while fire engines on the ground struggled to
slow the progress of the flames.
Although cooler weather is expected in the coming days,
government officials have warned that conditions remain dangerous for
now.
The Hume Highway, a major road link which connects Melbourne with Sydney, has been closed.
One helpless resident described how the wildfire was fast
approaching her house, with a relative expressing relief that her family
was safe.
Another local, Tom King, said: "I didn't know what to take,
so I just ended up having to leave everything, pretty much, and just get
ourselves and the animals out."
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