Photos: Heatwave in Australia sparks wildfires

Posted Jan 09, 2013

On the day NOAA announced that the United States had recorded it warmest year ever in 2012, record shattering temperatures (113 degrees Fahrenheit) across Australia led to massive wildfires which threatened people and buildings alike.

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In this Jan. 4, 2013, photo provided by the Holmes family, Tammy Holmes, second from left, and her grandchildren, two-year-old Charlotte Walker, left, four-year-old Esther Walker, third from left, nine-year-old Liam Walker, eleven-year-old Matilda, second from right, and six-year-old Caleb Walker, right, take refuge under a jetty as a wildfire rages near-by in the Tasmanian town of Dunalley, east of the state capital of Hobart, Australia. The family credits God with their survival from the fire that destroyed around 90 homes in Dunalley. Record temperatures across southern Australia cooled Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013, reducing the danger from scores of raging wildfires but likely bringing only a brief reprieve from the summer’s extreme heat and fire risk. (AP Photo/Holmes Family, Tim Holmes) EDITORIAL USE ONLY
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In this Jan. 4, 2013, photo provided by the Holmes family, Tammy Holmes and her grandchildren take refuge under a jetty as a wildfire rages nearby in the Tasmanian town of Dunalley, east of the state capital of Hobart, Australia. The family credits God with their survival from the fire that destroyed around 90 homes in Dunalley. Record temperatures across southern Australia cooled Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013, reducing the danger from scores of raging wildfires but likely bringing only a brief reprieve from the summer’s extreme heat and fire risk. (AP Photo/Holmes Family, Tim Holmes) EDITORIAL USE ONLY
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In this Jan. 4, 2013, photo provided by the Holmes family, the Walker siblings six-year-old Caleb, left, four-year-old Esther, second from left, nine-year-old Liam, and eleven-year-old Matilda, right, holding two-year-old Charlotte, prepare to enter the water to take refuge with their grandparents under a jetty as a wildfire rages nearby in the Tasmanian town of Dunalley, east of the state capital of Hobart, Australia. The family credits God with their survival from the fire that destroyed around 90 homes in Dunalley. Record temperatures across southern Australia cooled Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013, reducing the danger from scores of raging wildfires but likely bringing only a brief reprieve from the summer’s extreme heat and fire risk. (AP Photo/The Holms Family, Tim Holmes) EDITORIAL USE ONLY
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In this Jan. 4, 2013, photo provided by the Holmes family the Walker siblings six-year-old Caleb, left, four-year-old Esther, second from left, eleven-year-old Matilda, holding two-year-old Charlotte, second from right, and nine-year-old Liam, right, prepare to enter the water to take refuge with their grandparents under a jetty as a wildfire rages nearby in the Tasmanian town of Dunalley, east of the state capital of Hobart, Australia. The family credits God with their survival from the fire that destroyed around 90 homes in Dunalley. Record temperatures across southern Australia cooled Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013, reducing the danger from scores of raging wildfires but likely bringing only a brief reprieve from the summer’s extreme heat and fire risk. (AP Photo/Holmes Family, Tim Holmes) EDITORIAL USE ONLY
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In this Jan. 4, 2013, photo provided by the Holmes family, a building burns near a jetty where Tim and Tammy Holmes attempt to shelter their five grandchildren as a wildfire rages nearby in the Tasmanian town of Dunalley, east of the state capital of Hobart, Australia. The family credits God with their survival from the fire that destroyed around 90 homes in Dunalley. Record temperatures across southern Australia cooled Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013, reducing the danger from scores of raging wildfires but likely bringing only a brief reprieve from the summer’s extreme heat and fire risk. (AP Photo/Holmes Family, Tim Holmes) EDITORIAL USE ONLY
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In this photo provided by the New South Wales Rural Fire Service a wildfire near Deans Gap, Australia, crosses the Princes Highway Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013. Firefighters are battling scores of wildfires in southeastern Australia as authorities evacuate national parks and warned that hot, dry and windy conditions were combining to raise the threat to its highest alert level. (AP Photo/NSW Rural Fire Service, James Morris)
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Wildfire smoke rises from hills behind the village of Numeralla in New South Wales state on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013. Wildfires raged across much of southeast Australia. (AP Photo/Rod McGuirk)
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Wildfire smoke rises from hills behind the village of Numeralla in New South Wales state on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013. Wildfires raged across much of southeast Australia. (AP Photo/Rod McGuirk)
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Wildfire smoke rises from hills near the village of Numeralla in New South Wales state on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013. Wildfires raged across much of southeast Australia. (AP Photo/Rod McGuirk)
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In this photo provided by the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, plumes of smoke rise from a fire near Cooma, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013. Temperatures across much of New South Wales state are expected to reach 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) causing extreme conditions. (AP Photo/New South Wales Rural Fire Service) EDITORIAL USE ONLY
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John O'Reilly takes a dip in the cooling water of a fountain in central Sydney, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013, as the temperature reaches 42 degrees Celsius (107.6. degrees Fahrenheit). Temperatures across much of New South Wales state are expected to reach 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) creating severe wildfire conditions. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
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John O'Reilly takes refuge in the cool water behind a waterfall of a fountain in central Sydney, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013, as the temperature reaches 42 degrees Celsius (107.6. degrees Fahrenheit). Temperatures across much of New South Wales state are expected to reach 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) creating severe wildfire conditions. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
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John O'Reilly takes refuge in the cool water behind a waterfall of a fountain in central Sydney, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013, as the temperature reaches 42 degrees Celsius (107.6. degrees Fahrenheit). Temperatures across much of New South Wales state are expected to reach 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) creating severe wildfire conditions. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
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In this aerial photo provided by the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, plumes of smoke rises from a fire near Sussex Inlet, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013. Temperatures cooled from record highs across much of southern Australia on Wednesday, reducing the danger from scores of wildfires that have blazed for days. (AP Photo/NSW Rural Fire Service) EDITORIAL USE ONLY
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In this photo provided by the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, plumes of smoke rise from a fire near Deniliquin, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013. Firefighters are battling scores of wildfires raging across southeast Australia as authorities evacuated national parks and warned that blistering temperatures and high winds had led to "catastrophic" conditions in some areas. (AP Photo/New South Wales Rural Fire Service) EDITORIAL USE ONLY
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This aerial photo shows a view of Dunalley after a wildfire destroyed around 80 buildings in and around the small town, east of the Tasmanian capital of Hobart, Australia, on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. Australian officials battled a series of wildfires amid scorching temperatures across the country on Saturday, with one blaze destroying dozens of homes in the island state of Tasmania. (AP Photo/Chris Kidd, Pool)
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This aerial photo shows a view of Dunalley after a wildfire destroyed around 80 buildings in and around the small town, east of the Tasmanian capital of Hobart, Australia, on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. Australian officials battled a series of wildfires amid scorching temperatures across the country on Saturday, with one blaze destroying dozens of homes in the island state of Tasmania. (AP Photo/Chris Kidd, Pool)
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This aerial photo shows a view of Boomer Bay after wildfires raged across southern Australia, on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. Australian officials battled a series of wildfires amid scorching temperatures across the country on Saturday, with one blaze destroying dozens of homes in the island state of Tasmania. (AP Photo/Chris Kidd, Pool)
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This aerial photo shows a view of Dunalley after a wildfire destroyed around 80 buildings in and around the small town, east of the Tasmanian capital of Hobart, Australia, on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. Australian officials battled a series of wildfires amid scorching temperatures across the country on Saturday, with one blaze destroying dozens of homes in the island state of Tasmania. (AP Photo/Chris Kidd, Pool)
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This aerial photo shows a view of Dunalley after a wildfire destroyed around 80 buildings in and around the small town, east of the Tasmanian capital of Hobart, Australia, on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. Australian officials battled a series of wildfires amid scorching temperatures across the country on Saturday, with one blaze destroying dozens of homes in the island state of Tasmania. (AP Photo/Chris Kidd, Pool)
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A charred vehicle sits near the remains of a home destroyed by a wildfire between Dunalley and Boomer Bay, east of the Tasmanian capital of Hobart, Australia, on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. Australian officials battled a series of wildfires amid scorching temperatures across the country on Saturday, with one blaze destroying dozens of homes in the island state of Tasmania. (AP Photo/Chris Kidd, Pool)
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This aerial photo shows homes destroyed by a wildfire near Boomer Bay, in southern Australia, on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. Australian officials battled a series of wildfires amid scorching temperatures across the country on Saturday, with one blaze destroying dozens of homes in the island state of Tasmania. (AP Photo/Chris Kidd, Pool)
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This aerial photo shows homes destroyed by a wildfire between Dunalley and Boomer Bay, east of the Tasmanian capital of Hobart, Australia, on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. Australian officials battled a series of wildfires amid scorching temperatures across the country on Saturday, with one blaze destroying dozens of homes in the island state of Tasmania. (AP Photo/Chris Kidd, Pool)
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This aerial photo shows homes destroyed by a wildfire between Dunalley and Boomer Bay, east of the Tasmanian capital of Hobart, Australia, on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. Australian officials battled a series of wildfires amid scorching temperatures across the country on Saturday, with one blaze destroying dozens of homes in the island state of Tasmania. (AP Photo/Chris Kidd, Pool)
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A building sits among the charred remains of properties following a wildfire near Dunalley, east of the Tasmanian capital of Hobart, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. Australian officials battled a series of wildfires amid scorching temperatures across the country on Saturday, with one blaze destroying dozens of homes in the island state of Tasmania. (AP Photo/Chris Kidd, Pool)
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A charred vehicle sits near the remains of a destroyed home following a wildfire near Dunalley, east of the Tasmanian capital of Hobart, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. Australian officials battled a series of wildfires amid scorching temperatures across the country on Saturday, with one blaze destroying dozens of homes in the island state of Tasmania. (AP Photo/Chris Kidd, Pool)