Fanned by soaring temperatures, columns of fire and smoke blackened entire towns on Monday and Tuesday, forcing thousands of residents and holiday makers to seek shelter on beaches. Many stood in shallow water to escape the flames.
Rescue operations continue on Sulawesi island in Indonesia a week after a devastating earthquake and tsunami last Friday. The death toll is now above 1,500, but that could rise as central areas of the hard-hit island have not yet been reached.