Catastrophic fire warnings are in place across the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), where firefighters are tackling more than 100 blazes.
Authorities have urged Christmas travelers to delay their journeys as conditions threaten to intensify the bushfire crisis.
Rising temperatures and strong winds worsened fires across three states on Saturday.
Three blazes around Sydney are burning at an emergency level.
A combination of temperatures above 40C, low humidity and strong winds have worsened the struggle for the almost 10,000 emergency personnel mobilized to deal with the bushfires in NSW.
The states of NSW and South Australia are the focus of the travel warnings.
In NSW, several major roads and highways have been closed, including a section of the Princes Highway.
Roads have been closed in South Australia as well, with residents asked to monitor the government traffic website for updates.
Many Australians have accused Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government of inaction on climate change.
Last year, the UN reported that Australia was not on track to meet its commitments under the Paris Agreement – the global deal to tackle rising global temperatures.
Mr Morrison has faced criticism for going on holiday despite the severity of the bushfires.
-BBC
