Australia fires map: Where are the bushfires in Australia now?

NEW South Wales has declared a week-long state of emergency as fires continue to spread across Australia.

To date, 20 people have tragically lost their lives due to the bushfires raging across Australia since September, with a further 28 people missing.

Killer fires are continuing to ravage Australia as 2020 begins.

New South Wales' state of emergency will come into force on Friday, January 3, morning (29pm GMT Thursday) and will stay in place for the following seven days.

Local authorities will be carrying out forced evacuations while tourists have been warned to leave the area before Saturday.

The fires this week alone have destroyed 381 homes in NSW and an additional 43 in Victoria, with numbers expected to ruse further still.

Elsewhere, the huge fires have affected all states, even the island of Tasmania.

Here's a look at a map detailing where the fires in Australia currently are:

4

4

November

• Throughout November, 1,228,050 acres of land was destroyed in a bushfire at a national park in NSW.
• The country saw terrifying apocalyptic scenes as families were trapped inside their homes and skies turned red in November.
• In Queensland, 49,000 acres and six homes were destroyed on November 11.
• And on the same day in South Australia authorities warned of an "uncontrolled" blaze heading towards homes in the area.
• The following day, Sydney said they were braced for "catastrophe" and Russell Crowe's mansion came under threat.
• On November 13, a terrifying 600 mile wide wall of flames swept across NSW.
• And in a  shocking rant, disgraced rugby star Israel Folau blamed the country's wildfires on same-sex marriage and abortion.
• On November 19, Sydney was left "trapped" inside a thick cloud of smoke with dozens of people treated for asthma and breathing problems.
• On November 20, a huge blaze broke out on Yorke peninsula, aircraft were scrambled to water bomb the blaze as it crept closer to two local towns.
• On 21 November, lightning strikes ignited a series of fires in Victoria.

4

• In south-east New South Wales, late October saw the start of a number of bushfires in remote woodland.
• These blazes raged on, eventually becoming one massive inferno, dubbed the Wattle Creek Fire.
• Several fires also broke out across Tasmania during the month.
• Fire crews in Tuncurry attempt to bring a forest fire in the area under control
• October 30 brought heartbreaking news that hundreds of koalas were thought to have been burned alive as fires swept through an important koala breeding ground.

4

• On September 6, northern areas in New South Wales began experiencing bushfires. The blaze carried through until October, tragically killing two.
• The following day, on September 7 a number of out of control blazes threatened townships across South Eastern and Northern Queensland, destroying several homes.
• On September 8, a historic lodge in the Gold Coast that had stood for 86 years was destroyed in the fires, which had previously razed several homes.

HELL ON EARTH ‘Big devil face’ spotted over Australia wildfires as death toll rises to 20

SITTING DUCKS Hundreds trapped in cars trying to flee Oz fires as crowds hurl insults at PM

ACE IDEA Kyrgios vows to donate $200 for every ace he hits to help Australia fires victims

GET OUT NOW Tens of thousands in path of Oz bush fires told ‘flee or die’ as toll hits 18

KILLER INFERNO Latest travel advice as Australia's bushfires worsen