SYDNEY, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- Two Australian firefighters have suffered horrific burns on Thursday, as they battled an out-of-control blaze on the southwestern outskirts of Sydney.
According to New South Wales State Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons, the men aged 36 and 56 were air-lifted to hospital with burns to their face, body and airways, while a 28-year-old woman and two others were also treated for minor burns and smoke inhalation.
The two men have both been placed in induced comas.
"I have had field reports from out there that very quickly they saw lots of fire activity from meter-high flame heights, to flames burning through the tops of trees and canopy burning, crowning fires, under very strong winds," Fitzsimmons said.
"It was very volatile, very dynamic and unfortunately, emblematic of much of the fire behavior we've seen, under the hot, dry, windy conditions," he added.
With fire already enveloping areas around Bargo and large parts of the Wollondilly shire, Fitzsimmons warned that "dozens" of homes may be lost in the coming days as record-high temperatures move across Australia's east coast.
"There's everything from people's homes, people's businesses, there are poultry farming operations... there are lots of buildings, including people's homes and livelihoods that have been impacted by this," he said.
"So it's a tough afternoon. It will be another very emotional, very draining day for our firefighters."