Australia’s east coast continues to be ravaged by the bushfires which have plagued the country for several weeks, but out of the doom and gloom have come some heartwarming photos of firefighters rescuing wildlife.

Offering a small glimmer of hope during the holiday season, professional and volunteer firefighters have been sharing images of their small, and often cute and furry triumphs, as they wrest adorable koalas from the blazing infernos which are consuming their habitats.

On Sunday, Eden Hills Country Fire Service shared this heartwarming image of a koala approaching one of their firefighters for help in Adelaide.

Dale Adams, a lieutenant at the service, explained that the photo was taken on Friday as two koalas (only one pictured) sought help from one of his crews.

“Up behind us there were a couple of houses under threat so we were working to protect them from ember attack and the firefront and they stepped out of the bush seeking help,” said Adams, adding that it is relatively common for koalas to seek help.

He confirmed that the cuddly marsupials were given water and moved to a safer location, before the fire crews departed to fight yet another fire in the area.

“Unbelievable photo. Thank you for everything that you’ve been doing this summer,” wrote one Facebook user in a sentiment that was echoed across social media, amid hundreds of likes, shares, and comments.

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Meanwhile, a photo of a firefighter’s efforts to rescue a group of six koalas also went viral, being shared over 30,000 times on Facebook. The six adorable critters are pictured huddled together in a home as one clings on to a nearby wall.

Finally, Grose Wold Rural Fire Brigade shared this image which one user described as having “Baby Yoda vibes” in reference to the character from the new Disney series The Mandalorian.

Some areas of eastern Australia are reportedly expected to see 50mm of rain on Christmas Eve which may help turn the tide against the fires.

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