Thousands of people fled to the beaches in the southeastern states on New Year’s Eve as the emergency fires spread.
In Mallacoota, Victoria, approximately 4,000 people have sought refuge on the coast.
The deaths of two other people in New South Wales have been confirmed and the number of deaths caused by fires has increased to 12.
Authorities say four people are missing in Victoria and one in New South Wales.
The BBC reports that Shane Fitzsimmons, commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service said:
“We’ve got literally hundreds, thousands of people up and down the coast, taking refuge on the beaches”
Shane Fitzsimmons said it was “the worst fire season we have experienced here in NSW”.
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