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Thousands of people are fleeing a vast "tourist leave zone" in Australia amid forecasts of ferocious bushfire conditions in coming days.
Since September, Australia's bushfire crisis has killed 18 people and destroyed more than 1,200 homes.
At least 17 people remain missing after fires tore through Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) this week.
The latest evacuations on the NSW south coast have been called "the largest relocation out of the region ever".
On Thursday, long lines of cars clogged highways leading back to Sydney and Canberra. Many were filled those who had abruptly aborted holidays.
Local media reported hour-long queues for petrol in the town of Batemans Bay, while fuel was being trucked in to the region to offset dwindling supplies.
Many roads remained closed due to continuing fires and other dangers, such as unstable or fallen trees.
Though conditions have eased slightly, officials fear a dangerous forecast for Saturday will once again threaten lives and homes.
"If you are holidaying… you need to leave before this Saturday," the NSW Rural Fire Service said, referring to a 260km (160 miles) stretch of coast.
The state government warned that conditions were likely to be "at least as bad" as New Year's Eve, when hundreds of homes were destroyed.
Workers were clearing roads, restoring power, and conducting "backburning" operations to thin out bushland near fire fronts.
NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance urged people to drive slowly amid thick smoke. In an emotional interview with the ABC, he added that his own friends had lost homes.
This week's fires have destroyed at least 381 homes in NSW and 43 in Victoria, but officials say that number will grow.
The seven deaths in NSW include:
- Two people found in separate cars on Wednesday morning
- A father and son who stayed behind to defend their home and farm equipment
- A 28-year-old volunteer firefighter who was killed when wind flipped his fire engine
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Family members of Mick Roberts, a 67-year-old Victorian missing since Monday, confirmed that he had been found dead in his home in Buchan, East Gippsland.
"Very sad day for us to (start) the year but we're a bloody tight family and we will never forget our mate and my beautiful Uncle Mick," his niece Leah Parson said on Facebook.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said there were "significant fears" for 17 people unaccounted for in his state.
What is happening elsewhere?
Two regions of Western Australia (WA) face catastrophic fire danger on Thursday, and parts of South Australia are expected to see extreme conditions on Friday.
The ABC reported that bushfires had forced the closure of a 330km stretch of a highway in WA, forcing traffic to bank up.
Due to bushfire smoke, Canberra's air quality was rated worse than any major global city on Thursday, according to Swiss-based group AirVisual. Australia Post has suspended deliveries there "until further notice".
In Mallacoota, Victoria – where thousands fled to the beach on Tuesday – a navy boat was expected to begin evacuating people who have been cut off from roads.
On Wednesday, police boats arrived with 1.6 tonnes of water, food, a paramedic and medical suppRead More – Source
