"BATEMANS BAY/MELBOURNE - Tens of thousands of holiday makers fled seaside towns on Australia’s east coast on Thursday ahead of advancing bushfires, as military ships and helicopters began rescuing thousands more trapped by the blazes.
Fueled by searing temperatures and high winds, more than 200 fires are burning across the southeastern states of New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria, threatening several towns.
Long queues formed outside supermarkets and petrol stations as residents and tourists sought supplies to either bunker down or escape the fires, emptying shelves of staples like bread and milk."
Jill Gralow and Sonali Paul report for Reuters January 1, 2020.
SEE ALSO:
"Australia Bushfires: PM's Climate Stance Criticised As Thousands Flee Blazes" (Guardian)
"Australia's Temperate Mountains Evacuated As Bushfires Approach" (Reuters)
"Australian Authorities Scramble To Reach Victims Of Deadly Fires As Death Toll Rises" (Reuters)
"Thousands Swarm To Australian Beaches To Escape Bushfires" (Reuters)
