[This is the first great climate disaster of the 21st century. –Jim] CFA officer David Tree stops to give Sam the koala a drink of water. Picture: Russell Vickery Video

By Megan McNaught IT is not just humans who are emerging from the ashes after amazing feats of survival in the Victoria fires. Animals of all shapes and sizes are starting to limp, stagger or be carried from the worst-affected fire areas. Many are so severely injured they have to be destroyed, but others are being taken in by wildlife carers across the state, the Herald Sun reports. Healesville Sanctuary has taken in emergency cases, despite being threatened itself by fire. Among its current charges is Bellerine the possum, who was found in Healesville with third-degree burns on her feet. She was given her name, which means "little shoes" in French, after all of her feet were bandaged. The sanctuary is also treating a young echidna, which was picked up in Chum Creek and brought in yesterday suffering smoke inhalation. Healesville Sanctuary senior vet Rupert Baker said although carers were receiving a lot of animals, they had not seen the huge numbers many were expecting. "Tragically, this could mean that the heat was so intense that most perished," he said. "There are also huge areas that wildlife carers still can’t get into because they are still closed off, so we have no idea how many are out there."

Animals, including Sam the koala, emerging from the Victoria fires