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Latest photos of the devastating Australian bushfires

Deadly bushfires are ravaging the Australian landscape, so far destroying 1,200 homes across New South Wales and Victoria.

Matthew Abbott / New York Times / Redux / eyevine A kangaroo rushes past a burning houseMatthew Abbott / New York Times / Redux / eyevine
A kangaroo rushes past a burning house in Conjola on New Year's Eve

This week the fires have razed at least 381 homes in New South Wales and 43 in Victoria, with at least 17 people missing.

The leader of NSW has declared a week-long state of emergency, starting this Friday.

Here are pictures from the past few days.

AFP A firefighter hoses down trees and flying embersAFP
A firefighter hoses down trees and flying embers in an effort to save houses near the town of Nowra in New South Wales
AFP Raging bushfiresAFP
Fires rage near Bairnsdale in the East Gippsland region, Victoria
AFP Burning embers cover the ground as firefighters battle against bushfiresAFP
Burning embers cover the ground as firefighters battle against bushfires around Nowra

The declared state of emergency will allow local authorities to carry out forced evacuations, road closures "and anything else we need to do as a state to keep our residents and to keep property safe", NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Thursday.

AFP A firefighter walks past burning treesAFP
Getty Images Bushfires burnGetty Images
Bushfires burn between the townships of Bemm River and Cann River in East Gippsland, Victoria
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Getty Images People from the town of Cann River are evacuatedGetty Images
People from the town of Cann River are evacuated to Orbost in East Gippsland

High temperatures and strong winds are forecast for the weekend, leading to "widespread extreme fire danger".

Fire officials have told holidaymakers to urgently leave a 260km (160-mile) stretch of the NSW coast before Saturday.

Getty Images A firefighter sprays foam retardantGetty Images
A firefighter sprays foam retardant in the New South Wales town of Jerrawangala

The deaths in NSW include:

  • Two people found in separate cars on Wednesday morning
  • A father and son who stayed behind to defend their home and farm equipment
  • A 28-year-old volunteer firefighter who was killed when wind flipped over his fire engine
Reuters A satellite image of Batemans Bay showing bushfiresReuters
A satellite image of Batemans Bay on New Year's Eve
AFP Debris seen around a swimming pool next to the remains of a house destroyed by bushfiresAFP
Debris is seen around a swimming pool next to the remains of a house destroyed by bushfires near Batemans Bay
AFP A family sit at a showgroundAFP
A family sit at a showground in the southern New South Wales town of Bega where they are camping after being evacuated from nearby sites

In December, Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison cut short his holiday to Hawaii amid growing criticism of his leadership during the bushfire crisis.

This week he had to cut short another visit - to a fire-hit town when he was heckled by angry residents.

Shutterstock An aerial view of property damaged by bushfiresShutterstock
An aerial view of property damaged by the East Gippsland fires in Sarsfield (above and below)
Shutterstock An aerial view of property damaged by bushfiresShutterstock
Reuters A volunteer holds a burnt brushtail possumReuters
Tracy Burgess, a volunteer with Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Services (WIRES), holds a severely burnt brushtail possum rescued from fires near Australia's Blue Mountains
Reuters A WIRES volunteer holds a kangaroo with burnt feet padsReuters
A WIRES volunteer holds a kangaroo rescued in the Blue Mountains area
DELWP GIPPSLAND / EPA Smoke billowing from a fire burning at East GippslandDELWP GIPPSLAND / EPA
Smoke billows from a fire burning at East Gippsland
Mogo Wildlife Park Mogo Zoo enclosure with bushfiresMogo Wildlife Park

Mogo Zoo (above), managed to save all its animals, with monkeys, pandas and even a tiger housed at one keeper's home.

EPA Smoke billows from a fire burningEPA
Smoke rises from a fire burning at East Gippsland, Victoria.
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The Australian government has been facing criticism over its climate policies as the country deals with the devastating bushfires.

Australia is one of the world's biggest per capita greenhouse gas emitters.

Shutterstock Damaged property seen in MallacootaShutterstock
Damaged property seen in Mallacoota in East Gippsland
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Shutterstock A red sky from bushfiresShutterstock
Bushfires make the sky turn red in Mallacoota, Victoria
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AFP The remains of burnt out buildingsAFP
The remains of burnt out buildings seen along a street in Cobargo, New South Wales
AFP A horse tries to move away from nearby bushfiresAFP
A horse tries to move away from nearby bushfires at a residential property near the town of Nowra
AFP A helicopter drops water on a bushfireAFP
A photo from the state government in Victoria shows a helicopter fighting a bushfire near Bairnsdale in East Gippsland
AFP Firefighters hose down treesAFP
Firefighters hose down trees around the town of Nowra
AFP Smoke and flames rise from burning treesAFP
Smoke and flames rise from burning trees around Nowra
Reuters A helicopter and two people are seen on snowReuters
"Carmelised" snow caused by dust from Australian bushfires is seen near Franz Josef Glacier in the Westland Tai Poutini National Park, New Zealand

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