An Australian animal lover on Thursday said her donkeys, alcapas, and camels at her sanctuary had a lucky escape from out of control bushfires that have ravaged the region.
Australians work together to save animals from bushfires
Lorene Cross's Smart Animal Sanctuary and Rehoming Centre (SMART) in Batlow, New South Wales, has been running for 16 years, rehabiliating and re-homing domestic and farm animals.
When the fire threatened their property, people from around the community came and collected animals as Cross and her family fought to save their home from the blaze.
It got desperate, so she let the camels and cows out of their paddock, so they could escape the flames if need be.
Cross said most people in Batlow evacuated over the weekend, but many cats and animals were left behind, so she went around and fed and watered all the cats to keep them alive.
There are no official counts or estimates of how wildlife has been affected by the deadly bushfires that have destroyed more than 4 million hectares (9.9 million acres) in five states since September.
The fire and heat are either killing the native fauna such as kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, and echidnas, or driving them out of the bushland and into people's homes.