Hellish wildfire engulfs Australia, killing livestock as hope decreases

Australia is suffering from a days-long wildfire emergency as extreme heat exacerbates the blazes, homes lay in ruins, livestock perish and over 2,000 residents flee in Victoria state.

The relentless fires are fueled by Australia's El Nino weather pattern, which is typically associated with extreme phenomena such as wildfires, cyclones and droughts.

It has spawned over 15 bushfires in Victoria alone on Sunday with concerns mounting over the forecasted extreme heat midweek, as authorities brace for intensified heat.

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged to provide whatever support is needed to assist Victoria state in its days-long wildfire emergency.

"It's a reminder of the need for us to be vigilant for us to continue to work and act on the threat that is climate change."

State authorities have said there are concerns about the weather this week particularly Wednesday into Thursday when extreme heat is forecast that could further fan the fires.

Around 1,000 firefighters supported by more than 50 aircraft have battled the fires since they started.

The last two bushfire seasons in Australia have been much less severe compared with the 2019-2020 "Black Summer", when bushfires destroyed an area the size of Türkiye, killing 33 people and an estimated 3 billion animals.