The latest from the Australian bushfires

'Apocalyptic': New Zealand 

shrouded in smoke from 

Australian bushfires

The smoke from the fires has made it over 2000 km to NZ. It is even worse further side. The photo doesn’t catch the colour which was vibrant, but captures the haziness round the edges.

Apocalyptic stuff but nothing compared to Australia!

New Zealanders in the South Island of the country have woken up to a red sun and orange skies on new year’s day, with the smoke from Australia’s catastrophic bushfires drifting east overnight.

Met Service forecaster Cameron Coutts said the intensity of the Australian bushfires in the past few days had fuelled the New Zealand haze, and this was the fourth time this summer New Zealand had been affected by fires across the Tasman.

“The last couple of days the fires in Australia have picked up in their intensity and produced a significant amount of smoke,” Coutts said. “Most of it is at high levels once it reaches New Zealand. There is the odd report of people being able to smell smoke, but it is not really affecting us at ground level at the moment, even though it is quite thick.”

Coutts said the smoke could increase the chance of rain and thunderstorms in the South Island, of which significant levels of both were forecast later on Wednesday.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/01/apocalyptic-new-zealand-shrouded-in-smoke-from-australian-bushfires

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7842053/SENTINEL-2-satellite-images-paint-confronting-picture-Australia-bushfires.html

Australia's deadly bushfires can be seen from space, with satellite images taken 760kms away capturing the extent of the disaster.

The devastating infernos have claimed the lives of at least seven people on the New South Wales south coast and another in Victoria over Tuesday and Wednesday, with that number expected to grow.

At least 176 homes had been destroyed on the NSW south coast, with 50,000 families left without power and the main streets of towns such as Cobargo and Mogo virtually razed.

The confronting satellite images were captured from the SENTINEL-2 satellites which orbit the earth at an altitude of 786 km.

One image of the Clyde Mountain fire, 200km south of Sydney, showed the extent of the damage spanning hundreds of kilometres, giving a perspective to the massive challenge faced by mainly volunteer firefighters.

Though conditions moderated on Wednesday, giving the firefighters a chance to contain and douse some fires, hot and windy conditions were forecast to return on Saturday.

Another image showed the devastation of the fires at the coastal town of Batemans Bay early Wednesday morning as the blaze continues to spread.

NSW Police confirmed a total of seven people have been killed and two are unaccounted for in the South Coast bushfires since Monday.

The deaths include dairy farmer Patrick Salway, 29, and his father Robert, 63, who died trying to save their property in Cobargo, near Bega.

Young father and volunteer firefighter Samuel McPaul, 28, was also among those confirmed dead after he was killed by a fire tornado.

A 70-year-old man was found dead outside a home at Yatte Yattah, west of Lake Conjola, on Tuesday night, while another man's body was found in a burnt vehicle on a road off the Princes Highway at Yatte Yattah Wednesday morning.

The body of a man was found in a vehicle on Wandra Road at Sussex Inlet about 11.30am Wednesday but is yet to be formally identified, while a seventh body was found outside a home Coolagolite, about 10km east of Cobargo,

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Another satellite image shows the devastation of the fires devastating the coastal town of Batemans Bay early Wednesday morning as the blaze continues to spread

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A confronting satellite image of the Clyde Mountain Fire, 200km south of Sydney, shows the extent of the damage spans hundreds of kilometres

Today we have the three deaths. The police have confirmed at Yatte Yattah, a body found in a vehicle there, which is near Lake Conjola,' NSW Police Force Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys told media on Wednesday afternoon.

'One at Sussex Inlet, a body in a vehicle. And ambulance officers have told us about a body that they have located as well deceased.'

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A kangaroo can be seen moving away from nearby bushfires at a residential property near Nowra on the NSW South Coast

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Firefighters are seen struggling against the strong winds which are blowing embers on them in an effort to secure houses near bushfires on Tuesday

'In terms of the situation down on the South Coast, we have three emergency operation centres operating locally up and down the coast that are dealing with any amount of local issues and doing their best to solve those problems for people down there.

'There is no magic wand to wave across this and fix it in a short amount of time.'

Meanwhile, a 72-year-old man is unaccounted for at Belowra, 50km north-west of Cobargo, and a 70-year-old woman is unaccounted for at Conjola Park.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons were in Batemans Bay experiencing the devastation firsthand.

'It's very difficult to console people when they've lost everything. We need to make sure they're supported,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'It's very difficult for those that have lost everything and people are going through various stages of grief and loss. And all we can do is support them in every which way we'll do.'

Some communities have seen up to 80 per cent of their homes and businesses destroyed.

Of the 176 homes confirmed lost, Conjola Park has lost 89, Malua Bay saw 40 destroyed and 15 have been confirmed lost in Rosedale, but the amount of homes lost is expected to rise.

n trees and flying embers in an effort to secure nearby houses in Nowra on Tuesday

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Smoke and flames are seen rising from burning trees as bushfires hit the bushland surrounding the small town of Nowra

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NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons are in Batemans Bay (pictured) experiencing the devastation firsthand

Commissioner Fitzsimmons said the death toll is expected to climb as the RFS analyse the extent of the damage on the South Coast.

'So we know that the damage that's been occasioned right throughout the south-east corner of New South Wales is a heavy toll. And more importantly we're seeing unfortunately the tragedy of lives lost as well,' he said on Wednesday afternoon.

'As the Premier quite rightly indicated, we need to prepare ourselves for that number to climb with information coming out this afternoon.'

Andrew Constance, the Minister for Transport and Roads and Liberal member for Bega, was also in Batemans Bay and described Tuesday as being a 'bugger of a day'.

'Yesterday morning the fire moved at a pace that no-one expected. It shot around the back of places and hit Mogo pretty hard and burnt through to the beach,' Mr Constance said.

'It's devastating. But we'll pull together. A great community.'

Damage has also been wrought in the Snowy Mountains and towards Tumbarumba, as well as on the NSW Central Coast.

Some of the worst-affected communities along the coast battled bushfires into Tuesday night with no power and limited telecommunications.

At least 50,000 homes are currently without power on the South Coast.

'The damage to the electricity network from these latest fires is significant and widespread, with at least 40 poles being destroyed in the past 24 hours,' Endeavour South Coast regional manager Janine Cullen said.

Many spent New Year's Eve without power as energy companies worked through the night to have it restored.

Ulladulla, south of Conjola Park, saw the power turn back on early Wednesday after fires tore through the area on Tuesday.

As of 4pm on Wednesday, 102 fires were burning statewide with 40 uncontrolled. Seven blazes were at watch-and-act level while no emergency warnings were current.

Dangerous bushfire conditions will return on Saturday, with 40C temperatures and gusty winds set to create worse conditions than this week's blazes. 

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian today told reporters the forecast is grim.

'We are assuming that on Saturday weather conditions will be at least as bad as what they were yesterday,' she said.  

That is something all of us have to brace ourselves for.'

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Agata Imielska explained to Daily Mail Australia how conditions will be similar to Tuesday - with extremely hot temperatures followed by powerful gusts.

'Yesterday temperatures peaked before a southerly came through,' she said. 'Saturday will be the next big day to look out for.'

The mercury will start to rise on Friday when 'large areas' of the state will have temperatures of more than 40C and these hot conditions will intensify on Saturday.

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Three people are confirmed dead and there are concerns for five people who are missing after fires left scenes like the one in Cobargo across the state

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Three thousand firefighters were deployed to help battle the blazes and protect homes, businesses and vehicles

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Cobargo has been destroyed by fires on Tuesday after blazes ripped through the town and burned several buildings

A southerly was expected to come through during the late afternoon and the strong winds expected will pose issues for firefighters.

'The dry and strong winds will make the blazes burning across the state flare and drive them in a new direction,' the forecaster said.

She said the winds will also cause embers to fly further, sparking fresh outbreaks.

Despite the cooler conditions on Wednesday, parts of the state - including the north west of the Great Dividing Range - remained 'quite warm'.

Hazardous smoke conditions were also expected following the southerly change.

Victoria was set to experience similar conditions to New South Wales on Saturday.

Temperatures are set to rise before gusty winds will develop in the western part of the state around dawn before hitting the east in the afternoon.

The change is set to bring some isolated showers and thunderstorms.

The eastern part of the state will be covered in a smoke haze from the East Gippsland fires which menaced the town of Mallacoota on Tuesday.

Hope was fading for four people who have not been heard from in 24 hours in the Gippsland region.

There were 46 fires still burning and 43 properties destroyed in the popular holiday destination. 

After a day sheltering on the beach on Tuesday, tourists and locals in Mallacoota spent the night sleeping in a local cinema. 

Many spent New Year's Eve on the town's jetty and were told to be ready to get in the water at a moment's notice to keep safe. 

Those in the NSW holiday towns of Bateman's Bay and Bermagui also fled to evacuation centres or the beaches on Tuesday. 

Batemans Bay had been 'absolutely destroyed,' according to local Federal MP for Gilmore Fiona Phillips.  

'It's just been absolute devastation. The building loss we believe around the Batemans Bay area and Mogo is in the hundreds. It's very, very significant,' she said, according to the ABC.

'The industrial area at Batemans Bay has certainly suffered significant damage and the Mogo CBD is unrecognisable.' 

Ms Phillips said hundreds of buildings have been destroyed in the area.  

Federal MP for Eden Monaro Mike Kelly said at least 200 homes have been lost on the Far South Coast.

The situation was made more difficult by mobile phone outages throughout the affected areas, meaning families and friends have been unable to reach their loved ones.

No communication is a rarity in today's world so it's an uncomfortable feeling,' Melbourne man Nic Baxter told AAP on Tuesday evening, as he waited to hear from his father in Batemans Bay.

Military aircraft and vessels came to the assistance of emergency services on Wednesday in New South Wales and Victoria, evacuating people from danger zones.

Army Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters were deployed to rescue thousands stranded on a beach in the fire-ravaged area.

 The United States and Canada were understood to have been asked to provide 'specialist aviation resources' to help Australia's emergency efforts.   

Waterbombing aircraft helped efforts to stop a 250ha blaze reaching residential homes at Blue Haven on the Central Coast. 

Major roads, including several parts of the Princes Highway linking south coast communities, were likely to remain closed for some time due to hazards.