AUSTRALIA'S PEOPLE AND ITS ICONIC ANIMALS. WE GET MORE NOW FROM

ITS ICONIC ANIMALS. WE GET MORE NOW FROM NBC'S MATT BRADLEY.

WE GET MORE NOW FROM NBC'S MATT BRADLEY. >> Reporter: TONIGHT

NBC'S MATT BRADLEY. >> Reporter: TONIGHT THESE APOCALYPTIC

>> Reporter: TONIGHT THESE APOCALYPTIC SCENES HAPPENING

THESE APOCALYPTIC SCENES HAPPENING ACROSS AUSTRALIA.

SCENES HAPPENING ACROSS AUSTRALIA. MASSIVE WILDFIRES

ACROSS AUSTRALIA. MASSIVE WILDFIRES CREATING A STUNNING

MASSIVE WILDFIRES CREATING A STUNNING RED SKY.

CREATING A STUNNING RED SKY. THOUSANDS HUDDLING ON

RED SKY. THOUSANDS HUDDLING ON THE BEACH, DESPERATE

THOUSANDS HUDDLING ON THE BEACH, DESPERATE TO ESCAPE THE

THE BEACH, DESPERATE TO ESCAPE THE SCORCHING HEAT FROM

TO ESCAPE THE SCORCHING HEAT FROM THE FLAMES.

SCORCHING HEAT FROM THE FLAMES. >> PRETTY EXTREME.

THE FLAMES. >> PRETTY EXTREME. IT WAS VERY SCARY.

>> PRETTY EXTREME. IT WAS VERY SCARY. >> EVERYTHING WENT

IT WAS VERY SCARY. >> EVERYTHING WENT WOOF.

>> EVERYTHING WENT WOOF. >> Reporter: THESE

WOOF. >> Reporter: THESE PEOPLE SHELTERED IN A

>> Reporter: THESE PEOPLE SHELTERED IN A BOUQUET ENVELOPED BY

PEOPLE SHELTERED IN A BOUQUET ENVELOPED BY SMOKE.

BOUQUET ENVELOPED BY SMOKE. >> THE CARAVAN TOP

SMOKE. >> THE CARAVAN TOP BECAUSE THE FIRE IS

>> THE CARAVAN TOP BECAUSE THE FIRE IS ALONG THE BEACH NOW.

BECAUSE THE FIRE IS ALONG THE BEACH NOW. >> Reporter:

ALONG THE BEACH NOW. >> Reporter: OVERWHELMED

>> Reporter: OVERWHELMED FIREFIGHTERS, MOST OF

OVERWHELMED FIREFIGHTERS, MOST OF THEM VOLUNTEER, NOW

FIREFIGHTERS, MOST OF THEM VOLUNTEER, NOW BATTLING SOME 120

THEM VOLUNTEER, NOW BATTLING SOME 120 SEPARATE FIRES AS

BATTLING SOME 120 SEPARATE FIRES AS AUSTRALIA CALLED ON

SEPARATE FIRES AS AUSTRALIA CALLED ON ITS MILITARY TO HELP,

AUSTRALIA CALLED ON ITS MILITARY TO HELP, EVERY LIVING CREATURE

ITS MILITARY TO HELP, EVERY LIVING CREATURE SCRAMBLING FOR SAFETY.

EVERY LIVING CREATURE SCRAMBLING FOR SAFETY. SMOKE FROM THE BUSH

SCRAMBLING FOR SAFETY. SMOKE FROM THE BUSH FIRES CLOSING IN AS A

SMOKE FROM THE BUSH FIRES CLOSING IN AS A HERD OF KANGAROOS

FIRES CLOSING IN AS A HERD OF KANGAROOS DESPERATELY HOP AWAY

HERD OF KANGAROOS DESPERATELY HOP AWAY FROM THE FLAMES, AND

DESPERATELY HOP AWAY FROM THE FLAMES, AND AS TEMPERATURES

FROM THE FLAMES, AND AS TEMPERATURES SOARED, KOALAS FACE

AS TEMPERATURES SOARED, KOALAS FACE DEHYDRATION.

SOARED, KOALAS FACE DEHYDRATION. THIS FIREFIGHTER LENLT

DEHYDRATION. THIS FIREFIGHTER LENLT A HELPING HAND AND

THIS FIREFIGHTER LENLT A HELPING HAND AND THIS CYCLIST GAVE

A HELPING HAND AND THIS CYCLIST GAVE WATER TO A KOALA WHO

THIS CYCLIST GAVE WATER TO A KOALA WHO COULDN'T DRINK ENOUGH.

WATER TO A KOALA WHO COULDN'T DRINK ENOUGH. >> ANYONE GOT ANYMORE?

COULDN'T DRINK ENOUGH. >> ANYONE GOT ANYMORE? HE IS THIRSTY.

>> ANYONE GOT ANYMORE? HE IS THIRSTY. >> Reporter: AS MANY

HE IS THIRSTY. >> Reporter: AS MANY AS 800 KOALAS MAY HAVE

>> Reporter: AS MANY AS 800 KOALAS MAY HAVE ALREADY DIED IN NEW

AS 800 KOALAS MAY HAVE ALREADY DIED IN NEW SOUTH WALES ALONE.

ALREADY DIED IN NEW SOUTH WALES ALONE. A NATIONAL CRISIS AT

SOUTH WALES ALONE. A NATIONAL CRISIS AT NEW YEARS.

A NATIONAL CRISIS AT NEW YEARS. FIREWORKS A MIX OF

NEW YEARS. FIREWORKS A MIX OF FIRESTORM.

FIREWORKS A MIX OF FIRESTORM. AUSTRALIA IS UNIQUELY

FIRESTORM. AUSTRALIA IS UNIQUELY VULNERABLE TO CLIMATE

AUSTRALIA IS UNIQUELY VULNERABLE TO CLIMATE CHANGE.

VULNERABLE TO CLIMATE CHANGE. THIS PAST YEAR IT

CHANGE. THIS PAST YEAR IT RECORDED ITS DRIEST

THIS PAST YEAR IT RECORDED ITS DRIEST SPRING.

RECORDED ITS DRIEST SPRING. AND JUST A FEW WEEKS