Firefighters are continuing to battle to save homes from dozens of "unstoppable" bushfires that have forced hundreds of families to flee Sydney.
They are fighting about 40 fires burning in and around Australia's largest city. It is suspected the fires were started deliberately.
Prime Minister John Howard offered the full resources of the defence forces after New South Wales state authorities committed maximum resources including 3,000 firefighters and almost 80 water-bombing aircraft.
The fires erupted suddenly yesterday and - fueled by dry conditions after seven months of drought, high temperatures and gusting winds - quickly spread across fronts hundreds of kilometres long, destroying more than 15 homes in hours.
Today, firefighters joined by residents using garden hoses and buckets saved hundreds of homes from destruction, with only one house reported destroyed by mid-afternoon.
State Premier Bob Carr said many of the bushfires were started by arsonists. "This is the most extreme form of anti-social behaviour you can see in our society," he said.
AFP