The devastation of fires in Australia, in numbers

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Fires in Australia: the sky is dyed red 0:39

(CNN) - The states of Australia fight forest fires every year, but little compares to the widespread devastation this season.

Millions of hectares have been razed by fire and entire houses have been swallowed by the flames. More than 20 people have lost their lives. According to an estimate, approximately 500 million animals have died in New South Wales. And in the country, summer is just beginning.

Along with a series of images posted on his Facebook page, Australian politician Leon Bignell described the reality of the fires as "horrible."

1 of 11 | The cabin of a Hercules C-130J is illuminated with the red glow of the fires, while the crew tries to land in Merimbula to leave rescue teams to help fight forest fires, Sunday, January 5. Corporal Nicole Dorrett / Australian Department of Defense via Getty Images

2 of 11 | A man walks among ashes left by forest fires on a beach in Merimbula on January 5. Saeed Khan / AFP / Getty Images

3 of 11 | A sign with the message "In case of looting, we will shoot" to discourage looters near Conjola Park on January 5. Rick Rycroft / AP

4 of 11 | This satellite image provided by NASA on Saturday, January 4 shows the smoke from the fires burning in Victoria and New South Wales. NASA via AP

5 of 11 | A father carries his daughter while the sky turns red during the day on January 4 in Mallacoota, Australia. Many parents with young children were trapped in Mallacoota after the flights were suspended due to smoke and only children of school age and older were allowed to evacuate by boat. Justin McManus / The Age / Fairfax Media through Getty Images

6 of 11 | The sky turns red during the day in Mallacoota, Australia. People in the Foreshore motorhome park remain on the site in what will be a day of severe fire conditions with large fires still out of control north of the city. Justin McManus / The Age / Fairfax Media through Getty Images

7 of 11 | Australian Navy elements unload luggage while evacuees from Mallacoota arrive aboard the MV Sycamore on January 4 at the port of Hastings, Australia. Pool / Getty Images

8 of 11 | Smoke from forest fires envelops a road near Moruya, Australia, on January 4. Rick Rycroft / AP

9 of 11 | Nancy Allen remains outside her home while high winds blow smoke and ashes from the Currowan fire to Nowra in New South Wales on January 4. Tracey Nearmy / Reuters

10 of 11 | Evacuated people board the MV Sycamore of the Australian Navy, on January 3, in Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia. Navy ships removed hundreds of people from the beaches and tens of thousands were urged to flee before the hot weather and high winds made Australia's devastating forest fires worse. Australian Department of Defense / AP

11 of 11 | A huge column of smoke caused by forest fires in East Gippsland, Victoria, on January 2. DELWP Gippsland / AP

“We met some of the many families and individuals who were left homeless after the fire and we all need to work together to help them recover as soon as possible. However, mental scars can never heal, ”he said.

Here is a look at the severity of fires in the country so far:

The numbers

Some 2,700 firefighters were fighting fires until Sunday.

Three died

The Australian Defense Force said Sunday that it had called 3,000 army reserve items and others with specialized capabilities to help fight the flames.

Until Monday there were about 136 fires burning in New South Wales.

Of those, 69 are not contained, the New South Wales Rural Fire Service said Monday.

Authorities say 24 people have died throughout the country during this fire season.

The majority of the victims, 18 , come from New South Wales, which is the state most affected by the flames. Three people died in Victoria and three others in South Australia.

Until Monday, two people also remain missing in New South Wales.

About 480 million animals have died in New South Wales, estimates Professor Chris Dickman of the University of Sydney. "The actual mortality is likely to be substantially higher than estimated," the university said in a statement.

Almost a third of the koalas in New South Wales may have died in the fires, and a third of their habitat has been destroyed, said Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley.

In December, the smoke in Sydney was so bad that the air quality exceeded 11 times the "dangerous" level.

In total, about 6 million hectares have been burned in the six states of the country. That is larger than the territory of Belgium and Haiti combined.

In New South Wales alone, more than 1,300 houses have been destroyed and 3.6 million hectares burned.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Monday a fund of US $ 1,390 million to help rebuild communities affected by the fires.

Approximately US $ 347 million will be allocated within this year, added the Australian Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg.

The prime minister has already said that up to US $ 4,200 will go to each of the volunteer firefighters who fight the fires for more than 10 days.

Isaac Yee, Jessie Yeung and Akanksha Sharma of CNN contributed to this report.

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