4,000 trapped on Australia beach encircled by fire

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In Australia, 4,000 people are trapped on the foreshore of the encircled seaside town of Mallacoota due to fire and smoke. Authorities said, fires are causing extreme thunderstorms and ember attacks.

The most dangerous fires were in the state of Victoria yesterday. About 30,000 residents and tourists were urged to flee East Gippsland including Mallacoota- a popular holiday region – but evacuations were later deemed too risky as fires encroached on major roads. A volunteer firefighter died battling a blaze in the state of New South Wales. Authorities said the volunteer was killed and two others suffered burns after their truck rolled over in extreme winds while they were battling a blaze east of the city of Albury.In Australia, scores of fires are burning out of control across amid a heatwave that has seen temperatures exceed 40 degree Celsius in every state.

Meteorologists say a climate system in the Indian Ocean, known as the dipole, is the main driver behind the extreme heat in Australia.