WATCH: Woman risks her safety to rescue koala from bushfire in Australia

The woman is being hailed as a hero...

Soaring temperatures in South Australia have prompted "catastrophic" fire alerts - the highest danger rating - to be issued in parts of the country. Thousands of people have been left without power and schools were closed in high risk areas as residents prepared to evacuate as even more devastating bushfires sprung up in South Australia state. Parts of Victoria have been issued the same warning for Thursday, while the threat in Tasmania is also increasing. A catastrophic warning means that should a fire start, firefighters would not be able to control it due to the current weather conditions. Six people have died in the bushfires since last month and more than 500 houses have been destroyed. Other major victims of the bushfires include Australia's koala population, with more than 350 of the marsupials feared dead in the blazes. A video has emerged this week of a women endangering herself to rescue a scorched koala from a bushfire. The local woman, who told Australia's Nine News her name was Toni, rescued the stricken animal and poured water on it to cool it down. She said she would transport it to the nearby Port Macquarie Koala Hospital. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CI69w7FioE&feature=emb_title Clip via No Comment TV