Australia's bushfire disasters make headlines around globe

Australia’s bushfire disasters and state of emergencies has become such a global concern images of thirsty koalas, fleeing kangaroos, distraught families and charred houses led the news bulletins across Europe and the United Kingdom on Thursday.

In this image made from video taken on Dec. 22, 2019, and provided by Oakbank Balhannah CFS, a koala drinks water from a bottle given by a firefighter in Cudlee Creek, South Australia. Image: Oakbank Balhannah CFS via AP, File.

Australia’s bushfire disasters and state of emergencies has become such a global concern images of thirsty koalas, fleeing kangaroos, distraught families and charred houses led the news bulletins across Europe and the United Kingdom on Thursday.

The angry reception given to the Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Cobargo by furious fire victims was even the splash item through the day on websites from the UK’s Guardian to the German publication Deutsche Welle.

Dramatic aerial footage of kilometres long fire front accompanied the bushfire story at the top of the news bulletins on Sky News and the first eight minutes on BBC news.

For the past 48 hours the fires have received blanket news coverage across Europe, and Mr Morrison’s forced handshaking of some fire victims has been the subject of some ridicule.

The ITV breakfast host Piers Morgan said Mr Morrison got what he deserved during the disastrous attempting by him to console victims in Cobargo. 

"Morrison got what he deserved... absolutely unconscionable for a Prime Minister to holiday in Hawaii as his nation burns,’’ tweeted Mr Morgan to his seven million followers, before adding ‘’This is not ‘something going on’ - this is one of the biggest disasters in Australia’s history.’’

The UK Telegraph columnist Oliver Brown wrote Mr Morrison was a walking manual of public relations ineptitude.

"He prizes the superficial above the substantial, the easy photo op above the difficult choices on how much military assistance to divert to fire containment, which should have been resolved weeks ago,’’ the Telegraph said.

France24 said thousands of tourists have had to evacuate fire-ravaged coastal communities before Saturday’s heatwave expected to fan deadly bushfires

The BBC focused on the difficulties of travellers trying to evacuate from the south coast danger zone and followed with discussion about climate change and Australia’s hottest year on record.