Australia firefighters recount inferno ordeal

Australian firefighters who fought a wildfire on the New South Wales South Coast have spoken about the moment their truck was overrun by large flames.

Footage posted by Fire and Rescue New South Wales on Tuesday showed firefighters from Wyoming fire station driving through the inferno near the town of Nowra.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Deputy Captain Jasper Croft said the side of the vehicle he was in had "melted" as they navigated through the fire zone.

Tourists in a 250km (155 miles) stretch from the region to Victoria's East Gippsland have been advised to leave within a 24-hour period before unfavourable weather conditions return.

At least 18 people have died, 1,200 homes have been destroyed and about five million hectares (12.35 million acres) of land have burned nationwide from the wildfires since September.