Smoke over New South Wales, Australia, from Copernicus Sentinel-3

Ferocious bushfires have been sweeping across Australia since September, fuelled by record-breaking temperatures, drought and wind. The country has always experienced fires, but this season has been horrific. A staggering 10 million hectares of land have been burned, at least 24 people have been killed and it has been reported that almost half a billion animals have perished. This Copernicus Sentinel-3 image shows smoke pouring from numerous fires in New South Wales on 3 January.

Read more: Australia: like a furnace