Bushfire season is upon Australia and so far, it has already claimed the lives of several people and destroyed hundreds of homes. People are now grouping together in a bid to reduce the devastation, with one woman risking her life to save a koala.
The woman, who identified herself as Toni, can be seen in the remarkable footage taking off her shirt so that she can rescue a badly burnt koala from a tree.
To see the dramatic rescue for yourself, check out the video below:The animal was subsequently doused with water and taken to a sanctuary for treatment. According to CNN, while treated, the koala remains in a "very serious condition".
As a result of the weather, it is feared that upwards of 300 koalas may have been killed in 2019.
Now, in a bid to help the animals, Port Macquarie Koala Hospital has set up a GoFundMe to help cover the costs of their care. They have received around 31 koalas for treatment for dehydration and burns.
Koalas are officially listed as "vulnerable" under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. There are so few left in the wild that the Australian Koala Foundation estimates there are around 43,000 left in Australia.
Sydney has been shrouded by smoke, with BBC News reporting that pollution levels were eight times higher than normal. Locals were warned of the danger of fire on Tuesday, and it is expected that the situation will be exacerbated further when the heatwave reaches New South Wales and Queensland.
According to CBS News weather contributor, Jeff Berardelli, rising temperatures dry out soil and vegetation which has the knock-on effect of making them more flammable.
"The trend is often towards greater moisture deficits in the atmosphere. Combined drier ground and relatively drier air leads to fires that grow faster and burn longer," he said.