AP reports in Wildfire Today: “Local CFA firefighter David Tree shares his water with an injured Australian Koala at Mirboo North after wildfires swept through the region on Monday, Feb. 9, 2009.

The koala moved gingerly on scorched paws, crossing the blackened landscape as the fire patrol passed.Clearly in pain, the animal stopped when it saw firefighter David Tree following behind.”

“It was amazing, he turned around, sat on his bum and sort of looked at me with (a look) like, put me out of my misery,” Tree told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “I yelled out for a bottle of water. I unscrewed the bottle, tipped it up on his lips and he just took it naturally. He kept reaching for the bottle, almost like a baby.”

Watch this video of the rescue on FoxCarolina.com