Australians were bracing yesterday for what officials warned could be some of the worst fire danger days ever seen, as police searched for some 100 people still missing in ravaged Tasmania.
The danger was most acute in New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, with the mercury expected to hit 43 degrees Celsius in Sydney today.
NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell yesterday sounded a grim warning about the forecast record heat and high winds, with large areas of grass and vegetation ripe for burning following bumper spring rains.
"Tomorrow is not going to be just another ordinary day," said O'Farrell." Tomorrow will be perhaps the worst fire danger day this state has ever faced."
Thousands of firefighters and about 70 aircraft were on standby, with some 90 blazes already burning - 20 out of control - and "catastrophic" conditions forecast for regions south of Sydney.
Introduced after the 2009 Black Saturday fires in Victoria that claimed 173 lives, a catastrophic rating means fires will be uncontrollable, unpredictable and very fast-moving, with evacuation the only safe option.