Thousands of Australians have sheltered on a beach after a forest firestorm descended upon a coastal village burning as many as 20 houses.

Hot, dry and swirling winds fanned more than 100 uncontrollable bush fires and smoke clouds towered over Australia’s largest city today as angry officials vowed to punish arsonists, many of them children.

Helicopters dumped water and firefighters filled buckets from backyard swimming pools in a desperate battle to save homes from a wildfire that raged through Sydney’s suburbs today.