Holidaymakers on the NSW south coast are enduring a nervous night hoping a dangerous blaze weakens, as fire crews battle 80 blazes across the state.
Extreme fire danger ratings were in place for Sydney and the Hunter region on Tuesday as well as a swathe of the state's interior stretching from the lower central-west plains to the Queensland border.
Temperatures reached 37.2C at Sydney Airport about 2.30pm, with the city centre, Penrith, Gosford, and Nowra all cracking 35C.
Those highs are as much as 15C above the October average maximum for the same locations.
The swelter sparked dozens of new fires across the state, including one threatening towns on the South Coast during busy school holidays.
People in the Cuttagee, Barragga Bay, Murrah, Bunga, and Goalen Head areas were advised just before 8pm on Tuesday that it was too late to leave and they should seek shelter inside a solid structure.
An emergency warning for the neighbouring popular holiday town of Bermagui eased late in the afternoon, as westerly winds fanned the blaze further south.
But the relief came with a warning that a significant southerly change due about midnight, bringing cooler temperatures and increased humidity, had the potential to push the fire back towards the town.
"People in Bermagui who do not feel adequately prepared to defend their properties should consider relocating to a safer place such as Bega or Narooma before nightfall," the Rural Fire Service warned, noting towns with open evacuation centres.
Another emergency for a fast-moving fire in bushland near Abernethy in the Cessnock region was downgraded to an advice level as conditions eased.
The emergency warnings are among the first for this bushfire season, which is expected to be the worst since .
Late on Tuesday, 81 blazes were burning statewide, including six out of control.
The largest uncontrolled fire near Bredbo in the Snowy-Monaro region tripled in size to 1140 hectares under strong winds as firefighters, heavy machinery and aircraft tried to strengthen containment lines.
There are fears the bushfires season could be the worst since the summer of 2019/2020. Source: Getty / Sam Mooy
Premier Chris Minns said forecasts of a "horrific" bushfire season was one of the things that kept him up at night.
"I don't want anybody to get over-confident — this could be a really tough bushfire season," he said.
Victoria facing flash flood risk
Rain has started falling on bushfires raging in eastern Victoria with the focus turning to the threat of flash flooding.
A severe warning has been issued for damaging winds and heavy rain in central and eastern parts of the state, with up to 60mm expected over the Briagolong and Loch Sport fires in Gippsland on Tuesday and Wednesday.
About 700 firefighters have spent the past three days battling the blazes, with one home lost but no reports of serious injury.
CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said burn-offs and unattended flames had contributed to more than 200 individual blazes in the area but the cause of the Briagolong fire, which has grown to 17,500 hectares, was still under investigation.
"I'm not going to speculate on the cause of that fire but we do know unattended campfires and private burns in this part of the state has contributed to some of the fires," he said.
Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Christie Johnson said up to 100mm could fall on the Eastern Ranges, creating a risk of flash and riverine flooding.
"There is quite a lot of rainfall expected to fall over six to 12 hours so even if it's not that heavy rainfall where you get a huge amount in a short time, it could still be enough to overwhelm gutters," she said.
As of Tuesday afternoon it was too late for residents in Seacombe and Loch Sport in the Gippsland Lakes area to leave because of the ongoing fire threat and communities surrounding the Briagolong were told to evacuate.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said a relief centre had been set up at Sale.
"The fire season has come and it's come early," she said.
A fire was also burning on Flinders Island in Bass Strait, with an emergency warning issued for Mount Tanner and Leeka.
In WA, total fire bans were in force for the Goldfields Midlands region.
