Australia’s deadly bushfires bring threat of ‘long and dangerous day ahead’

Joshua Berlinger
By Joshua Berlinger and Gianluca Mezzofiore, CNN
Updated 7:43 PM EST, Mon November 11, 2019
World News
A firefighter works as a bushfire, believed to have been sparked by a lightning strike that has ravaged an area of over 2,000 hectares in northern New South Wales state, burns in Port Macquarie on November 2, 2019. - Hundreds of koalas are feared to have burned to death in an out-of-control bushfire on Australia's east coast, wildlife authorities said October 30.
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CNN  — 

Two Australian states are bracing for a day of “catastrophic” risk as firefighters battle over 100 deadly active bushfires that have produced clouds of smoke seen as far away as New Zealand.

Thousands of people are in the paths of the blazes in the states of Queensland and New South Wales, which have both declared a state of emergency.

On Tuesday morning, state authorities warned that although the situation was “calm” at the moment, eastern Australia was still facing a “very long and very dangerous day ahead.”

Strong winds, high temperatures, and low humidity could provide perfect conditions for dozens of fires to spread further today.

The “catastrophic” warning is the worst threat level ever issued for New South Wales’ capital, Sydney, under the current system, which was introduced in 2009.

The city is home to around 4.6 million people, but the greatest fire risk lies in rural areas outside the city center. They include the greater Hunter area, Illawarra, and Shoalhaven, which are also facing “catastrophic” fire threats.

“The only safe place to be is somewhere else,” Stuart Ellis, chief executive of the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council, told national broadcaster, ABC.

Animal rescuer Marcus Fillinger carries a burned kangaroo on February 4 in Peak View, Australia. Fillinger tranquilized the wounded animal for transport to a recovery center.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
John Moore/Getty Images
Animal rescuer Marcus Fillinger carries a burned kangaroo on February 4 in Peak View, Australia. Fillinger tranquilized the wounded animal for transport to a recovery center.
A bushfire burns near the town of Bumbalong, south of Canberra on February 2.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images
A bushfire burns near the town of Bumbalong, south of Canberra on February 2.
Horses panic as a fire burns near Canberra, Australia, on Saturday, February 1.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
Horses panic as a fire burns near Canberra, Australia, on Saturday, February 1.
A firefighter coats a bridge with foam as a bushfire burns near Moruya, Australia, on Saturday, January 25.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Noah Berger/AP
A firefighter coats a bridge with foam as a bushfire burns near Moruya, Australia, on Saturday, January 25.
In this long-exposure photo, a car's taillights streak at left as a wildfire glows at dusk near Clear Range, Australia, on Friday, January 31.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Rick Rycroft/AP
In this long-exposure photo, a car's taillights streak at left as a wildfire glows at dusk near Clear Range, Australia, on Friday, January 31.
An airplane dumps fire retardant behind houses at the foot of Mount Tennent as fire creeps through the Namadgi National Park in Canberra on Thursday, January 30.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
An airplane dumps fire retardant behind houses at the foot of Mount Tennent as fire creeps through the Namadgi National Park in Canberra on Thursday, January 30.
People embrace near the scene of a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/23/australia/australia-firefighter-crash-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank">water tanker plane crash</a> in Cooma, Australia, on Thursday, January 23. Three American crew members died in the crash.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Jenny Evans/Getty Images
People embrace near the scene of a water tanker plane crash in Cooma, Australia, on Thursday, January 23. Three American crew members died in the crash.
Flying embers are seen in this long-exposure photo from Moruya on Thursday, January 23.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Sam Mooy/Getty Images
Flying embers are seen in this long-exposure photo from Moruya on Thursday, January 23.
A young koala named Jeremy receives medical attention for burns at the Healesville Sanctuary in Badger Creek, Australia, on January 23.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
David Crosling/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
A young koala named Jeremy receives medical attention for burns at the Healesville Sanctuary in Badger Creek, Australia, on January 23.
Firefighters battle the Morton Fire as it burns a home near Bundanoon, Australia, on January 23.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Noah Berger/AP
Firefighters battle the Morton Fire as it burns a home near Bundanoon, Australia, on January 23.
The Parliament House in Canberra is blanketed by bushfire smoke on January 23.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Mark Evans/Getty Images
The Parliament House in Canberra is blanketed by bushfire smoke on January 23.
A firefighter battles the Morton Fire as it consumes a home near Bundanoon on January 23.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Noah Berger/AP
A firefighter battles the Morton Fire as it consumes a home near Bundanoon on January 23.
Veterinarian Ludo Valenza holds two grey-headed flying foxes, which were being treated for bushfire injuries at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital in Beerwah, Australia, on Wednesday, January 15.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Darren England/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Veterinarian Ludo Valenza holds two grey-headed flying foxes, which were being treated for bushfire injuries at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital in Beerwah, Australia, on Wednesday, January 15.
Lt. Kynan Lang from the 10th/27th Battalion visits the scene where his uncle and cousin died in a bushfire on Australia's Kangaroo Island.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
CPL Tristan Kennedy/Australian Department of Defence
Lt. Kynan Lang from the 10th/27th Battalion visits the scene where his uncle and cousin died in a bushfire on Australia's Kangaroo Island.
A smoky haze from bushfires hovers over the Melbourne skyline ahead of the <a href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2020/01/14/australian-open-air-quality-issues-fires-dalila-jakupovic-sharapova-tennis-spt-intl-lon-orig.cnn" target="_blank">Australian Open</a> tennis tournament on Tuesday, January 14. Poor air quality disrupted the qualifying rounds of the tournament.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
William West/AFP/Getty Images
A smoky haze from bushfires hovers over the Melbourne skyline ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament on Tuesday, January 14. Poor air quality disrupted the qualifying rounds of the tournament.
Properties damaged and destroyed by fire are seen in Nerrigundah, Australia, on Monday, January 13.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Sam McNeil/AP
Properties damaged and destroyed by fire are seen in Nerrigundah, Australia, on Monday, January 13.
Debris remains where houses stood in the Australian village of Wingello on January 13.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Chu Chen/Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images
Debris remains where houses stood in the Australian village of Wingello on January 13.
Bonnie Morris and sister Raemi Morris look on as their family and firefighters battle bushfires at the edge of their family farm in Karatta on Saturday, January 11.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images
Bonnie Morris and sister Raemi Morris look on as their family and firefighters battle bushfires at the edge of their family farm in Karatta on Saturday, January 11.
Pictures of firefighters are projected onto the Sydney Opera House on January 11.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Don Arnold/Getty Images
Pictures of firefighters are projected onto the Sydney Opera House on January 11.
A vehicle makes its way through thick fog mixed with bushfire smoke in the Ruined Castle area of the Blue Mountains on January 11.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images
A vehicle makes its way through thick fog mixed with bushfire smoke in the Ruined Castle area of the Blue Mountains on January 11.
Protesters march through downtown Melbourne on Friday, January 10, in response to the ongoing bushfire crisis.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
Protesters march through downtown Melbourne on Friday, January 10, in response to the ongoing bushfire crisis.
An aerial view shows a track running through trees that were scorched by bushfires in East Gippsland, Australia, on Thursday, January 9.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Carla Gottgens/Bloomberg/Getty Images
An aerial view shows a track running through trees that were scorched by bushfires in East Gippsland, Australia, on Thursday, January 9.
A pile of wood chips burns at a timber mill in Eden, Australia, on January 9.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Sean Davey/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
A pile of wood chips burns at a timber mill in Eden, Australia, on January 9.
Lisa Poulsen tends to her Clydesdale horse, Jake, on January 9. Jake suffered burn injuries in a bushfire on December 31.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Sean Davey/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Lisa Poulsen tends to her Clydesdale horse, Jake, on January 9. Jake suffered burn injuries in a bushfire on December 31.
A small wave of black water full of burned debris breaks at a beach at Eden on January 9.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Rick Rycroft/AP
A small wave of black water full of burned debris breaks at a beach at Eden on January 9.
A dead kangaroo lies on a burnt farm in Batlow.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images
A dead kangaroo lies on a burnt farm in Batlow.
A firefighter backs away from flames after lighting a controlled burn near Tomerong on January 8.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Rick Rycroft/AP
A firefighter backs away from flames after lighting a controlled burn near Tomerong on January 8.
Stephenie Bailey is embraced on Wednesday, January 8, as she describes the impact the bushfires have had on her farm in Batlow.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images
Stephenie Bailey is embraced on Wednesday, January 8, as she describes the impact the bushfires have had on her farm in Batlow.
Charlotte O'Dwyer, the young daughter of Rural Fire Service volunteer Andrew O'Dwyer, wears her father's helmet during his funeral after being presented with a service medal in his honor by RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons on Tuesday, January 7, in Sydney.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dean Lewins-Pool/Getty Images
Charlotte O'Dwyer, the young daughter of Rural Fire Service volunteer Andrew O'Dwyer, wears her father's helmet during his funeral after being presented with a service medal in his honor by RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons on Tuesday, January 7, in Sydney.
A resident throws a bucket of water onto a smoldering tree on his property on Monday, January 6, in Wingello, Australia.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brett Hemmings/Getty Images
A resident throws a bucket of water onto a smoldering tree on his property on Monday, January 6, in Wingello, Australia.
A military helicopter flies above a burning woodchip mill in Eden, New South Wales, on January 6.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images
A military helicopter flies above a burning woodchip mill in Eden, New South Wales, on January 6.
A Royal Australian Navy MH-60R Seahawk "Romeo" helicopter refuels onboard HMAS Adelaide during Operation Bushfire Assist, on Sunday, January 5, in this image provided by the Australian Department of Defence. HMAS Adelaide and army reserve forces have been assisting with bushfire evacuations on the southern coast of New South Wales.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Handout/ABIS/Thomas Sawtell/Australian Department of Defence/Getty Images
A Royal Australian Navy MH-60R Seahawk "Romeo" helicopter refuels onboard HMAS Adelaide during Operation Bushfire Assist, on Sunday, January 5, in this image provided by the Australian Department of Defence. HMAS Adelaide and army reserve forces have been assisting with bushfire evacuations on the southern coast of New South Wales.
Families are evacuated by air from Mallacoota on January 5.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Justin McManus/Fairfax Media via Getty Images
Families are evacuated by air from Mallacoota on January 5.
A man walks past ash from bushfires washed up on a beach in Merimbula on January 5.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images
A man walks past ash from bushfires washed up on a beach in Merimbula on January 5.
The flight deck of a C-130J Hercules is lit by the red glow of the fires below as the aircrew attempts to land in Merimbula to drop off fire and rescue crews to assist fighting the bushfires on January 5.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Corporal Nicole Dorrett/Australian Department of Defence via Getty Images
The flight deck of a C-130J Hercules is lit by the red glow of the fires below as the aircrew attempts to land in Merimbula to drop off fire and rescue crews to assist fighting the bushfires on January 5.
This satellite image provided by NASA on Saturday, January 4, shows smoke from fires burning in Victoria and New South Wales.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
NASA via AP
This satellite image provided by NASA on Saturday, January 4, shows smoke from fires burning in Victoria and New South Wales.
A father holds his daughter as the skies above turn red during the day on January 4 in Mallacoota, Australia. Many parents with young children were stuck in Mallacoota after flights were grounded because of smoke and only school-aged children and older were allowed to evacuate by boat.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Justin McManus/The Age/Fairfax Media via Getty Images
A father holds his daughter as the skies above turn red during the day on January 4 in Mallacoota, Australia. Many parents with young children were stuck in Mallacoota after flights were grounded because of smoke and only school-aged children and older were allowed to evacuate by boat.
A Royal Australian Navy crew unload luggage as evacuees from Mallacoota arrive aboard the MV Sycamore on January 4 at the port of Hastings, Australia.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Pool/Getty Images
A Royal Australian Navy crew unload luggage as evacuees from Mallacoota arrive aboard the MV Sycamore on January 4 at the port of Hastings, Australia.
Smoke from wildfires shrouds a road near Moruya, Australia, on January 4.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Rick Rycroft/AP
Smoke from wildfires shrouds a road near Moruya, Australia, on January 4.
Nancy Allen stands outside her house as high winds push smoke and ash from the Currowan Fire toward Nowra in New South Wales on January 4.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Tracey Nearmy/Reuters
Nancy Allen stands outside her house as high winds push smoke and ash from the Currowan Fire toward Nowra in New South Wales on January 4.
Evacuees board the Royal Australian Navy's MV Sycamore on January 3 in Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia. Navy ships plucked hundreds of people from beaches and tens of thousands were urged to flee before hot weather and strong winds in the forecast worsen Australia's already devastating wildfires.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Australia Department of Defense/AP
Evacuees board the Royal Australian Navy's MV Sycamore on January 3 in Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia. Navy ships plucked hundreds of people from beaches and tens of thousands were urged to flee before hot weather and strong winds in the forecast worsen Australia's already devastating wildfires.
Massive smoke rises from wildfires burning in East Gippsland, Victoria on January 2.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
DELWP Gippsland/AP
Massive smoke rises from wildfires burning in East Gippsland, Victoria on January 2.
Royal Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons presents a posthumous Commendation for Bravery and Service on January 2 to the son of RFS volunteer Geoffrey Keaton, who was <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/02/australia/australia-medal-firefighter-son-intl-scli/index.html" target="_blank">killed battling bushfires</a>, at Keaton's funeral in Buxton, New South Wales.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
NSW Rural Fire Service via Reuters
Royal Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons presents a posthumous Commendation for Bravery and Service on January 2 to the son of RFS volunteer Geoffrey Keaton, who was killed battling bushfires, at Keaton's funeral in Buxton, New South Wales.
Boats are pulled ashore as smoke and wildfires rage on January 2 behind Lake Conjola.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Robert Oerlemans via AP
Boats are pulled ashore as smoke and wildfires rage on January 2 behind Lake Conjola.
Cars line up as people evacuate the town of Batemans Bay in New South Wales on January 2.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
Cars line up as people evacuate the town of Batemans Bay in New South Wales on January 2.
A satellite image released by Copernicus Sentinel dated December 31 shows bushfires burning across Australia.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Copernicus Sentinel Imagery via AP
A satellite image released by Copernicus Sentinel dated December 31 shows bushfires burning across Australia.
A kangaroo rushes past a burning house in Lake Conjola, Australia, on December 31.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Matthew Abbott/The New York Times/Redux
A kangaroo rushes past a burning house in Lake Conjola, Australia, on December 31.
A man tries to defend a property in Lake Conjola on December 31.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Matthew Abbott/The New York Times/Redux
A man tries to defend a property in Lake Conjola on December 31.
Firefighters hose down trees as they battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra in the Australian state of New South Wales on December 31, 2019. Thousands of holidaymakers and locals were forced to flee to beaches in fire-ravaged southeast Australia on December 31, as blazes ripped through popular tourist areas leaving no escape by land.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images
Firefighters hose down trees as they battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra in the Australian state of New South Wales on December 31, 2019. Thousands of holidaymakers and locals were forced to flee to beaches in fire-ravaged southeast Australia on December 31, as blazes ripped through popular tourist areas leaving no escape by land.
A destroyed home in Sarsfield, East Gippsland, Victoria, on December 31.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
James Ross/AP
A destroyed home in Sarsfield, East Gippsland, Victoria, on December 31.
Children evacuated from areas affected by bushfires play at the showgrounds in the southern New South Wales town of Bega on December 31.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Sean Davey/AFP via Getty Images
Children evacuated from areas affected by bushfires play at the showgrounds in the southern New South Wales town of Bega on December 31.
A skycrane drops water on a bushfire burning near houses in Bundoora, Melbourne, on Monday, December 30.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Ellen Smith/AAP Images via AP
A skycrane drops water on a bushfire burning near houses in Bundoora, Melbourne, on Monday, December 30.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) captured this satellite image of the historic bushfires burning across Australia on December 26.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
NOAA
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) captured this satellite image of the historic bushfires burning across Australia on December 26.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is briefed by fire officials at New South Wales Rural Fire Service control room in Sydney on December 22. Morrison arrived back in Sydney <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/22/asia/australia-fire-prime-minister-criticism-apology/index.html" target="_blank">amid criticism after taking a family holiday to Hawaii during the bushfire emergency.</a>
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
JOEL CARRETT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is briefed by fire officials at New South Wales Rural Fire Service control room in Sydney on December 22. Morrison arrived back in Sydney amid criticism after taking a family holiday to Hawaii during the bushfire emergency.
Tributes for volunteer firemen Andrew O'Dwyer and Geoffrey Keaton are seen at Horsley Park Rural Fire Brigade in Sydney, Australia, on December 22. It's believed they were killed when their vehicle hit a tree before rolling off the road, the <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/20/australia/australia-firefighter-death-intl-hnk-scli/index.html" target="_blank">New South Wales Rural Fire Service said in a statement</a>.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Jenny Evans/Getty Images
Tributes for volunteer firemen Andrew O'Dwyer and Geoffrey Keaton are seen at Horsley Park Rural Fire Brigade in Sydney, Australia, on December 22. It's believed they were killed when their vehicle hit a tree before rolling off the road, the New South Wales Rural Fire Service said in a statement.
A firefighter battles the Gospers Mountain Fire in Bilpin, New South Wales, on Saturday, December 21.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dan Himbrechts/EPA/Shutterstock
A firefighter battles the Gospers Mountain Fire in Bilpin, New South Wales, on Saturday, December 21.
A charred bicycle lies on the ground in front of a house destroyed by bushfires on the outskirts of Bargo on December 21.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
David Gray/Getty Images
A charred bicycle lies on the ground in front of a house destroyed by bushfires on the outskirts of Bargo on December 21.
Fire and rescue personnel monitor a bushfire as it burns near homes on the outskirts of Bilpin on Thursday, December 19.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
David Gray/Getty Images
Fire and rescue personnel monitor a bushfire as it burns near homes on the outskirts of Bilpin on Thursday, December 19.
A property burns in Balmoral on December 19.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
A property burns in Balmoral on December 19.
A helicopter drops fire-retardant to protect a property in Balmoral.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
A helicopter drops fire-retardant to protect a property in Balmoral.
Police disperse demonstrators during a climate protest near Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's official residence in Sydney, on December 19, during his absence on an overseas holiday, as bushfires burned across the region.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
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Police disperse demonstrators during a climate protest near Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's official residence in Sydney, on December 19, during his absence on an overseas holiday, as bushfires burned across the region.
Children swing into the Penrith river during a heatwave in Sydney on December 19.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Farooq Khan/AFP via Getty Images
Children swing into the Penrith river during a heatwave in Sydney on December 19.
A landscape of burnt trees is pictured after a bushfire at Mount Weison, in the Blue Mountains, on Wednesday, December 18.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images
A landscape of burnt trees is pictured after a bushfire at Mount Weison, in the Blue Mountains, on Wednesday, December 18.
A wallaby flees a fire burning near Mangrove Mountain, north of Sydney, on December 10.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Rick Rycroft/AP
A wallaby flees a fire burning near Mangrove Mountain, north of Sydney, on December 10.
A smoke haze blankets Bondi Beach as the air quality index reaches higher than ten times hazardous levels in some suburbs of Sydney on December 10.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Jenny Evans/Getty Images
A smoke haze blankets Bondi Beach as the air quality index reaches higher than ten times hazardous levels in some suburbs of Sydney on December 10.
People join a guided climb of the Sydney Harbour Bridge as bushfire haze darkens the sky on December 6.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
People join a guided climb of the Sydney Harbour Bridge as bushfire haze darkens the sky on December 6.
People are seen wearing face masks to protect against the poor air quality in Sydney on December 5.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Don Arnold/Getty Images
People are seen wearing face masks to protect against the poor air quality in Sydney on December 5.
A bushfire burns out of control in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales on December 2,
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images
A bushfire burns out of control in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales on December 2,
An aerial view shows bushfires burning in the Richmond Valley on November 26.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images
An aerial view shows bushfires burning in the Richmond Valley on November 26.
A CFA crew member rests after a day of maintaining controlled back burns in St Albans, Australia, on November 21.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brett Hemmings/Getty Images
A CFA crew member rests after a day of maintaining controlled back burns in St Albans, Australia, on November 21.
An injured koala receives treatment after its rescue from a bushfire at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital on November 19. The hospital said the fires have "decimated" the area, which is a key habitat and breeding ground for the marsupials. More than <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/30/australia/koala-fires-australia-intl-scli/index.html" target="_blank">350 koalas are feared to have been killed</a> by bushfires in NSW, according to animal experts.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Tao Shelan/China News Serice/Getty Images
An injured koala receives treatment after its rescue from a bushfire at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital on November 19. The hospital said the fires have "decimated" the area, which is a key habitat and breeding ground for the marsupials. More than 350 koalas are feared to have been killed by bushfires in NSW, according to animal experts.
Firefighters try to protect the Colo Heights Public School on November 19.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dean Lewins/EPA
Firefighters try to protect the Colo Heights Public School on November 19.
Bushfire smoke clouds the sky over the Hawkesbury River in Brooklyn, Australia.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Sam Mooy/Getty Images
Bushfire smoke clouds the sky over the Hawkesbury River in Brooklyn, Australia.
Firefighters work on controlled back burns on November 14.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brett Hemmings/Getty Images
Firefighters work on controlled back burns on November 14.
This satellite image shows wildfire smoke on November 14.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
NASA via AP
This satellite image shows wildfire smoke on November 14.
A man uses a wet towel to help put out flames near the town of Taree on November 14.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
William West/AFP/Getty Images
A man uses a wet towel to help put out flames near the town of Taree on November 14.
Firefighters organize their crews prior to working on controlled back burns in Sydney on November 14.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brett Hemmings/Getty Images
Firefighters organize their crews prior to working on controlled back burns in Sydney on November 14.
Warren Smith pats his dog after returning to find his house destroyed near Nana Glen on November 13.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
William West/AFP/Getty Images
Warren Smith pats his dog after returning to find his house destroyed near Nana Glen on November 13.
Teresa de Ruyter, left, and Michelle Wilson embrace after returning to their homes near Nana Glen on November 13.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
William West/AFP/Getty Images
Teresa de Ruyter, left, and Michelle Wilson embrace after returning to their homes near Nana Glen on November 13.
Firefighters battle a spot fire in Hillville on November 13.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Sam Mooy/Getty Images
Firefighters battle a spot fire in Hillville on November 13.
Residents look on as thick smoke rises from bushfires near Nana Glen on November 12.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dan Peled/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Residents look on as thick smoke rises from bushfires near Nana Glen on November 12.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison looks at a screen as he gets a briefing on the bushfire situation on November 12.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Lukas Coch/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison looks at a screen as he gets a briefing on the bushfire situation on November 12.
Locals watch the fires impact farmland near Nana Glen on November 12.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images
Locals watch the fires impact farmland near Nana Glen on November 12.
A firefighter mops up after a bushfire in the Sydney suburb of Llandilo on November 12.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Sam Mooy/Getty Images
A firefighter mops up after a bushfire in the Sydney suburb of Llandilo on November 12.
A fire and rescue team inspects damage around the village of Torrington on November 11.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
A fire and rescue team inspects damage around the village of Torrington on November 11.
Andrew Mackenzie surveys the damage to the area around his home in Torrington. His home was spared, but his neighbors' house was burned to the ground.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
Andrew Mackenzie surveys the damage to the area around his home in Torrington. His home was spared, but his neighbors' house was burned to the ground.
Smoke from the Gulf Road Fire fills the air in Glen Innes on November 11.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
Smoke from the Gulf Road Fire fills the air in Glen Innes on November 11.
A sign on a Taree fire station warns of "catastrophic" fire conditions.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
A sign on a Taree fire station warns of "catastrophic" fire conditions.
A lone joey is pictured on a scorched patch of ground in Torrington on November 11.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
A lone joey is pictured on a scorched patch of ground in Torrington on November 11.
Emergency crews tend to animals on a property in Torrington on November 11.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
Emergency crews tend to animals on a property in Torrington on November 11.
Burnt trees dot the landscape in Old Bar on November 10.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
Burnt trees dot the landscape in Old Bar on November 10.
A firefighter works to contain a bushfire near Taree on November 10.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Darren Pateman/EPA/Shuttterstock
A firefighter works to contain a bushfire near Taree on November 10.
A helicopter drops water on a bushfire in Old Bar on November 9.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Shane Chalker/AAP Image/Reuters
A helicopter drops water on a bushfire in Old Bar on November 9.
This aerial photo, taken on November 9, shows bushfires in the northeastern part New South Wales.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Tom Bannigan/AFP via Getty Images
This aerial photo, taken on November 9, shows bushfires in the northeastern part New South Wales.
Fires burn in the distance as children play on a beach in Forster on November 9.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images
Fires burn in the distance as children play on a beach in Forster on November 9.
A fire rages in Bobin on November 9.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images
A fire rages in Bobin on November 9.
The remains of a property are seen in Bobin on November 9.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images
The remains of a property are seen in Bobin on November 9.
A plane drops fire retardant on a bushfire in Harrington on November 8.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Shane Chalker/EPA
A plane drops fire retardant on a bushfire in Harrington on November 8.
Firefighters try to put out a bushfire in Woodford on November 8.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dan Himbrechts/EPA
Firefighters try to put out a bushfire in Woodford on November 8.
Police knock on the door of a house to warn residents of an out-of-control bushfire near Clumber on November 8.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dan Peled/EPA
Police knock on the door of a house to warn residents of an out-of-control bushfire near Clumber on November 8.
A resident hoses smoldering logs as a bushfire burns in Woodford on November 8.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dan Himbrechts/AAP via Reuters
A resident hoses smoldering logs as a bushfire burns in Woodford on November 8.
The sun is seen through heavy smoke as a bushfire burns in Woodford.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dan Himbrechts/AAP via Reuters
The sun is seen through heavy smoke as a bushfire burns in Woodford.
Firefighters hose down an area in Woodford.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dan Himbrechts/EPA
Firefighters hose down an area in Woodford.
Forster residents watch as a water-bombing helicopter flies over a bushfire on November 7.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Dan Kirkman/EPA
Forster residents watch as a water-bombing helicopter flies over a bushfire on November 7.
In this handout photo from NASA's Aqua satellite, destructive bushfires are seen off the coast of New South Wales on November 7.
Photos: In photos: Bushfires rage through Australia
Lauren Dauphin/NASA Earth Observatory
In this handout photo from NASA's Aqua satellite, destructive bushfires are seen off the coast of New South Wales on November 7.

As of Tuesday morning, 57 fires were burning across New South Wales, the fire service said.

A state-wide fire ban will remain in place on Tuesday, preventing people from lighting open fires and engaging in activities that could start a fire, like welding and grinding. Offenders risk on-the-spot fines of 2,200 Australian dollars ($1,500).

Hundreds of schools in fire risk regions will be closed on Tuesday, according to local media. As of Tuesday, around 50 fires were raging across the northern state of Queensland.

Australia is experiencing one of its worst droughts in decades. The hot, dry weather has created a huge amount of fuel for the fires, which are being fanned by strong winds.

“In catastrophic circumstances, routinely, you can expect the most extraordinary of fire behavior. It is not without question that spotting activity can be well and truly over 20 kilometers (12 miles) ahead of the main fire front,” New South Wales Rural Fire Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told CNN affiliate 9 News. Spotting refers to new fires lit by burning embers.

A “catastrophic” threat calls on people to evacuate ahead of time: “For your survival, leaving early is the only option,” the warning states.

“Homes that are specifically designed and built to withstand bushfires are not done so for catastrophic conditions. Catastrophic conditions are where lives are lost, it’s where people die. The risks are absolutely real,” Fitzsimmons said.

The damage so far has been significant. Three people have been killed in the blazes and more than 100 homes have been lost. An estimated 350 koalas died in the fires and at least a dozen are being treated for injuries.

Satellite images showed smoke billowing more than 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand’s South Island.

‘We’re hoping for the best but preparing for the worst’

Ashleigh McCabe, 23, had to leave her family house in the small New South Wales town of Nana Glen, along with her mom, sister, and young daughter.

“Unfortunately we had to leave behind three horses. We cleared the garden, placed as much as we could under cover and are basically hoping for the best but preparing for the worst,” she told CNN.

McCabe said that she and her family were staying in the city of Coffs Harbour on Monday night, which lies around 25km from their home. She added that they are prepared to leave should the blaze move closer and that these bushfires are unprecedented:

“We’ve had fires around the area but never this close and never this size. The previous fires were between Glenreagh and Grafton and were controlled quite quickly.”

McCabe added that they don’t get cell phone coverage reception at home, so she kept a constant eye on social media and listened to the radio for updates on the fire.

“We were lucky and had time to pack what we needed so we weren’t in too much of a rush, but were still definitely pressed for time,” she added.

Climate crisis comes front and center

In recent years, bushfires have been occurring more frequently in Australia, starting earlier in the season and spreading with even greater intensity. Experts say the cause is the climate crisis.

The blazes that are currently engulfing the country’s east have focused attention on warnings issued by former senior fire officials earlier this year. They have been calling on the government to do more to combat the effects of climate change.

Greg Mullins, the former Commissioner of New South Wales’ Fire and Rescue Department, has been among the most vocal critics. He and 22 other former high-ranking emergency service officials sent letters to Prime Minister Scott Morrison in April and September warning of the impact of the climate crisis on Australia and the possibility of “unprecedented fire danger,” Australian media reported.

A firefighter works to contain a bushfire near the town of Glen Innes in the state of New South Wales on Sunday.
A firefighter works to contain a bushfire near the town of Glen Innes in the state of New South Wales on Sunday.
Dan Peled/EPA-EFE-Shutterstock

“If anyone tells you, ‘This is part of a normal cycle’ or ‘We’ve had fires like this before’, smile politely and walk away, because they don’t know what they’re talking about,” Mullins wrote in a piece for The Sydney Morning Herald Monday.

Mullins said he wrote the piece reluctantly, noting that “some federal politicians dodge the question of the influence of climate change on extreme weather and fires by saying, ‘It’s terrible that this matter is being raised while the fires are still burning.’”

“But if not now, then when?” Mullins asked.

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Climate activist: 'The message is getting through'

The Morrison government has been accused of not doing enough to address the climate crisis.

Morrison sidestepped questions this weekend when asked about climate change. On Saturday, he said “my only thoughts today are with those who have lost their lives and their families. The firefighters who are fighting the fires, the response effort that has to be delivered and how the Commonwealth has greenresponded in supporting those efforts.”

On Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack lashed out at Australian Greens party members who had linked the fires to climate change.

“I don’t need the ravings of some pure, enlightened and woke capital city greenies,” McCormack told ABC Radio National. “What people need now is a little bit of sympathy, understanding and real assistance. They need help, they need shelter.”

Carol Sparks, the mayor of Glen Innes, who was herself evacuated from the path of a fire over the weekend, slammed federal politicians for failing to directly link the fires to the climate crisis.

“It’s climate change, there’s no doubt about it. The whole of the country is going to be affected. We need to take a serious look at our future,” the mayor, who is a member of the Greens party, told the Australian Associated Press.

“Of course it’s not relevant at the moment when people’s houses are burning and you’ve lost lives and you’ve lost friends and you’ve lost family,” Sparks said. Two residents of Glen Innes were killed in the fires.

“But the overall thing is we are so dry in this country – we haven’t had rain for years in some places. We need to look at what we’re going to do about that in the future,” she said.

Morrison says his critics gloss over Australia’s record on combating the climate crisis and claims his government has been effectively balancing the needs of Australia’s economy and “taking real action on climate change.”

“Australia’s internal and global critics on climate change willingly overlook or perhaps ignore our achievements, as the facts simply don’t fit the narrative they wish to project about our contribution,” he said at the United Nations General Assembly last month.