PERTH: Wildfires burning across Australia’s two most populous states on Tuesday trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions and killed at least two people while more property along the country’s east coast fell victim to a devastating fire season.

About 4,000 residents in the southeastern town of Mallacoota in Victoria state fled towards the water on Tuesday morning as winds pushed an emergency-level wildfire towards their homes. Smoke filling the sky shrouded the town in darkness before turning an unnerving shade of bright red.

Australia’s annual wildfire season, which peaks during the Southern Hemisphere summer, started early after an unusually warm and dry winter. Record-breaking heat and windy conditions triggered devastating wildfires in New South Wales and Queensland states in September.

About 12.35 million acres of land have burned nationwide over the past few months, with 12 people confirmed dead and more than 1,000 homes destroyed. Nearly 100 fires were burning across the state of New South Wales, which is home to Sydney.

New South Wales state Rural Fire Services Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said this wildfire season is the worst on record and painted a bleak long-term picture.

The wildfire crisis has reignited debate about whether Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s conservative government has taken enough action on climate change. Australia is the world’s largest exporter of coal and liquefied natural gas.

Late Tuesday, Mallacoota was saved by changes of wind direction, but authorities said numerous homes were lost. Residents returning home were urged to boil tap water before drinking it. Forest Fire Management Victoria said the wildfires had put heavy demands on tap water that is affecting the supply of water.

Stranded residents and vacationers were reported to be sleeping in cars on New Years Eve, while gas stations and surf clubs transformed into evacuation areas.

Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews had earlier announced plans to evacuate the people trapped by sea. There were grave fears for four missing people. “We can’t confirm their whereabouts,” Andrews told reporters on Tuesday.

Andrews has requested assistance from 70 firefighters from the United States and Canada, while Australia’s military sent air and sea reinforcements.

Victoria Emergency Services Commissioner Andrew Crisp confirmed significant property losses across the region. More than 115 communities across Victoria remained under emergency warnings Tuesday night.

Fire conditions worsened in Victoria and New South Wales after oppressive heat Monday mixed with strong winds and lightning.

Police in New South Wales said on Tuesday that two men a 63-year-old father and 29-year-old son died in a house in the wildfire-ravaged southeast town of Cobargo, and a 72-year-old man remains missing.

More than 130 fires remain burning across New South Wales, with five at an emergency level. Authorities warned that power would be out for 24 hours along the fire-ravaged south coast of the state.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2020