Record Heat and Bushfires Strand Thousands in Australia

Stunning bushfires raged across Australia as temperatures soared to historic highs, leaving thousands stranded as rescue teams struggle to contain blazes so strong they can be seen from space. In the Tasmanian town of Dunalley, a grandfather captured images of his family clinging to a boardwalk in chest-high waters as fires raged around them. Tasmamia, the country's coolest state, hit 40 degrees Celsius, its highest recorded temperature ever. Some parts of Victoria saw the needle reach almost 46. Smoke from the fires was so strong it was seen and photographed by a Canadian astronaut on an international space station. The Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre is mapping the fires across the nation, which have destroyed property and burned thousands of hectares, though so far no deaths have been reported. The Dart Centre has tips on ethical reporting of bushfire survivors, treatment of affected communities and self-care when reporting on such disasters.