Bushfires in NSW, Australia
Rural Fire Service volunteers (RFS) and Fire and Rescue NSW officers (FRNSW) contain a small bushfire which closed the Princes Highway south of Ulladulla, Australia, January 5, 2020.
(Photo : AAP Image/Dean Lewins via REUTERS)

Australia has calculated the cost from the day of catastrophic bushfires that made "extensive damage" across swathes of the country. They took the death toll from the long-running crisis to 24.

Many properties were destroyed, and one man passed away attempting to save a friend's residence in the severe conditions -- among the worst in Australia's months-long bushfire crisis.

The skies turned black, and ash rained on isolated communities in the country's southeast, according to New South Wales State Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

This situation is something that they have encountered before, said Berejiklian. According to the NSW's state premier, various townships who never experienced a threat of bushfire were at risk of being completely wiped out.

The austerity of the crisis -- which has marked an area roughly double the size of Belgium burnt -- made Prime Minister Scott Morrison decide to call-up the largest military in living memory, gathering up to 3,000 reservists to help exhausted volunteer firefighters.

The New South Wales fire service chief, in rare public criticism, said he only discovered the deployment from media reports -- the latest criticism of the prime minister's reply to the disaster.

Shane Fitzimmons, NSW rural fire service chief, expressed her disappointment and frustration in the midst of one of their worst days with extensive displacement and movement of people.

Fitzsimmons, whose own father died firefighting in the ongoing bushfire, underscored they had spent a "fair amount of the day" trying to seek clarity.

Thousands of volunteer firefighters were hailed in Australia and across the world for their restless battle against the blazes.

Queen Elizabeth II on Sunday commiserated with the governor-general. Queen Elizabeth II's representative in Australia said the United Kingdom's head of state was "deeply saddened" by the fires, and appreciated the emergency services who risk their lives to help communities.

Celebrities worldwide vouched to donate millions of dollars to support firefighters and fire-affected areas in Australia, including US singer Pink who tweeted Saturday that she was donating US$500,000.

Australian actress Nicole Kidman also donated the same amount of pledge to the Rural Fire Services who are all doing and giving so much now.

ALSO READ: Where Exactly Did Australia's Apocalyptic Bushfires Go?

Easing conditions

Australia had milder conditions on Sunday - including cooler air and some rain in New South Wales and Victoria state - where firefighters also battled massive infernos spurned on by winds and lightning strikes.

The situation allowed the authorities to get flames under control and take the capital of the damage. However, several communities were still under threat from out-of-control blazes - particularly in and around the town of Eden in New South Wales.

The fire crisis in Cooma town of southern New South Wales turned into a flood disaster when a large tower carrying 4.5 million liters of water swept away cars and filled homes with mud.

Air Visual, an independent online air quality index monitor, ranked Australia's capital Canberra as the city with the most inadequate air quality in the world on Sunday amid a severe haze caused by the fires.

Various properties, including galleries and other buildings, were closed to protect public health. Police patrolled streets in some rural areas amid reports of looting and break-ins in bushfire-affected areas.

Although bushfires are common in Australia especially in arid summers, due to climate change land and sea temperatures has increased and led to more scorching days and severe fire seasons.

Tags bushfire, australia

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