Undated photo shows a bushfire burning 8km south west of Naradhan, north of Griffith in New South Wales.
Bushfires get out of control in southeastern Australia as intense heat and high winds trigger more wildfires and worsen the already “catastrophic” conditions in the country.
Thousands of firefighters are battling to contain more than 130 fires, which are currently burning across the country’s most-populous state of New South Wales.
State Rural Fire Service commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmonssay said on Tuesday that firefighters succeeded to contain only 40 blazes in the region.
“You don’t get conditions worse than this, we are at the catastrophic level,” he said.
High winds and record temperatures have made the task of containing the fire more difficult.
Firefighters in the state of Victoria are trying to control a fire, caused by Australia’s heat wave.
Teams in Tasmania are also fighting a blaze as the fire caused damage to many homes in the island over the weekend.
Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard warned residents in the affected areas and other regions to remain vigilant over the next few days.
“It is very important that people keep themselves safe, that they listen to local authorities and local warnings. This is a very dangerous day,” she said.
There have been no reports of casualties as officials are concerned over the fate of as many as 100 people reported missing.
DB/HN
