Australian officials are warning of "catastrophic fire danger" as dozens of bushfires blazed in the state of New South Wales.
As of early Monday, 64 fires were burning the New South Wales Rural Fire Service said in a tweet. Of those, more than 40 were out of control.
It warned residents in the area to expect conditions to get worse as high temperatures and gusting winds are forecast for Tuesday.
“Don’t wait for the last minute and ring for a firetruck because it may not get there,” said Jeremy Fewtrell, deputy commissioner of New South Wales Fire and Rescue. “We just don’t want to lose more people.”
Three people have been confirmed dead and more than 150 homes have been destroyed.
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian declared a state of emergency Monday. It will stay in place for at least a week.
