<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-bushfires-thousands-take-streets-to-call-for-climate-action-demands-pms-resgination-273496">Bushfire</a> conditions on Australia's east coast eased on Saturday&nbsp;after&nbsp;a&nbsp;tough&nbsp;night&nbsp;for&nbsp;firefighters, and authorities said they expect to have at least a week of milder weather where they can improve defences against the huge blazes still burning.

A strong southerly wind change on Friday&nbsp;night, with gusts of more than 100 kph (60 mph) recorded, whipped a number of fires up to the emergency warning level, but by Saturday morning cooler temperatures and rainfall had eased conditions.

Watch:&nbsp;Australia fires show no sign of stopping, New warnings issued by authorities

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"A lot of relief for a lot of communities really suffering at this time, but the next few days are (also) looking pretty good," Jonathan How from the Bureau of Meteorology told ABC News television. "Much cooler as well."

New South Wales (NSW) <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australian-bushfires-2000-homes-destroyed-military-buries-4000-animals-to-prevent-diseases-272607">Rural Fire Service</a> Commissioner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australian-firefighters-get-brief-reprieve-as-death-toll-rises-272175">Shane Fitzsimmons</a> told a media briefing the respite was an opportunity to consolidate and try and&nbsp;get&nbsp;the upper hand on the fires.

"It would appear that we have got at least a week. It will probably be the best seven days we have had without a rise of very dangerous fire ratings," Fitzsimmons said.

Victoria emergency services minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/next-few-hours-could-be-very-challenging-australia-urges-people-to-flee-as-bushfires-rage-273400">Lisa Neville</a> urged communities affected by the fires to use the expected milder weather conditions to check on each other.

"This will leave significant trauma for people to deal with," Neville said at a separate media briefing. "The next few weeks is going to be really important that we look out for each other."

Neville also took on twitter and said that she met with emergency services from France, the UK and the USA to discuss how they can assist with our current bushfires.&nbsp;

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Today I met with emergency services from France, the UK &amp; the USA to discuss how they can assist us with our current bushfires. 
 
Another great example of our emergency services working together to protect our communities. Thank you to all the ES workers, local and international <a href="https://t.co/SqRiHUFy4J">pic.twitter.com/SqRiHUFy4J</a>
— Lisa Neville (@LisanevilleMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/LisanevilleMP/status/1215819667639373824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Since October, 27 people have been killed and thousands subjected to repeat evacuations as huge and unpredictable fires scorched more than 10.3 million hectares (25.5 million acres) of land, an area roughly the size of South Korea.

Australian&nbsp;authorities were clear that the risk was far from over.

"The longer-term forecast, or the outlook rather than a forecast, is for warmer and drier, so we know we have a long way to go," Victoria's emergency management commissioner Andrew Crisp told a media briefing.

"It is great to have some respite now so we can reset and refocus in terms of our operational activities and what we can do to support community, but we will have more hot weather."

Across NSW, nearly 150 fires were still burning as of Saturday morning, more than 60 of which were not contained, but none were at emergency level. Some 2,000 homes have been destroyed so far in the fire-affected areas of the state.

One NSW person suffered serious burns defending a property and was taken to a Sydney hospital on Friday&nbsp;night.

One fire was still burning at emergency level in Victoria on Saturday from a total of about 20 fires burning in the state.

<img alt="Australian bushfires continues to rage on Friday night" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1126a4b9-fa92-42eb-9fad-1e539d9c6cf5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%283%29_29.jpg" /> 
[ Australian wildfire&nbsp;continues to rage on Friday night in New South Wales (Courtesy: Reuters)&nbsp;]

A number of fires burning in the Snowy Mountains region in NSW and across into Victoria have merged. The fires that combined have more than 600,000 hectares (1.5 million acres) of land in total. Although the merged fires are burning in a difficult area to&nbsp;get&nbsp;to, authorities said they do not pose an immediate threat.

Thousands of&nbsp;Australians took to the streets on Friday to protest against government inaction on climate change, and were supported by protesters in London.

Westpac estimated total bushfire losses to date at about A$5 billion (£2.64 billion) ($3.4 billion), higher than the 2009 bushfires in Victoria but smaller than the Queensland floods in 2010/11. It forecast a hit of 0.2 per cent&nbsp;to 0.5 per cent&nbsp;on gross domestic product.

Australia's alpine resorts have dusted off winter snowmaking machines to blast ice-cold water onto dry ski slopes as fires threaten the Snowy Mountains region.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-strengthens-bushfire-defences-as-economic-environmental-costs-mount-272815">Insurance Council of Australia</a> increased its estimate of damages claims from the fires to more than A$900 million, with claims expected to jump further.

Health officials in New South Wales urged extra precautions to avoid heat-related illnesses.

Australia's wildfires have dwarfed other recent catastrophic blazes, with its burnt terrain more than twice the extent of that ravaged by 2019 fires in Brazil, California and Indonesia combined.

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The $2 billion we've committed is in addition to the Government’s emergency and disaster payments, and the financial support for volunteer firefighters. People affected by the bushfires can claim disaster payments by calling 180 22 66.
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottMorrisonMP/status/1214046021761695744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Australia Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-issues-new-evacuation-alerts-as-monster-bushfires-regenerate-273065">Scott Morrison </a>has pledged A$2 billion ($1.4 billion) to a newly created <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/smoke-from-australia-bushfires-reaches-brazil-272837">National Bushfire Recovery Agency</a>.

About 100&nbsp;firefighters&nbsp;from the United States and Canada are helping, with another 140 expected in coming weeks.

The fires have emitted 400 megatonnes of carbon dioxide and produced harmful pollutants, the European Union's Copernicus monitoring programme said.

Smoke has drifted across the Pacific, affecting cities in South America, and may have reached the Antarctic, the UN's World Meteorological Organization said.

Bushfire conditions on Australia's east coast eased on Saturday after a tough night for firefighters, and authorities said they expect to have at least a week of milder weather where they can improve defences against the huge blazes still burning.

Bushfire conditions on Australia's east coast eased on Saturday after a tough night for firefighters, and authorities said they expect to have at least a week of milder weather where they can improve defences against the huge blazes still burning. A strong southerly wind change on Friday night, with gusts of more than 100 kph (60 mph) recorded, whipped a number of fires up to the emergency warning level, but by Saturday morning cooler temperatures and rainfall had eased conditions. Watch: Australia fires show no sign of stopping, New warnings issued by authorities × "A lot of relief for a lot of communities really suffering at this time, but the next few days are (also) looking pretty good," Jonathan How from the Bureau of Meteorology told ABC News television. "Much cooler as well." New South Wales (NSW) Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told a media briefing the respite was an opportunity to consolidate and try and get the upper hand on the fires. "It would appear that we have got at least a week. It will probably be the best seven days we have had without a rise of very dangerous fire ratings," Fitzsimmons said. Victoria emergency services minister Lisa Neville urged communities affected by the fires to use the expected milder weather conditions to check on each other. "This will leave significant trauma for people to deal with," Neville said at a separate media briefing. "The next few weeks is going to be really important that we look out for each other." Neville also took on twitter and said that she met with emergency services from France, the UK and the USA to discuss how they can assist with our current bushfires. Today I met with emergency services from France, the UK & the USA to discuss how they can assist us with our current bushfires. Another great example of our emergency services working together to protect our communities. Thank you to all the ES workers, local and international pic.twitter.com/SqRiHUFy4J — Lisa Neville (@LisanevilleMP) January 11, 2020 × Since October, 27 people have been killed and thousands subjected to repeat evacuations as huge and unpredictable fires scorched more than 10.3 million hectares (25.5 million acres) of land, an area roughly the size of South Korea. Australian authorities were clear that the risk was far from over. "The longer-term forecast, or the outlook rather than a forecast, is for warmer and drier, so we know we have a long way to go," Victoria's emergency management commissioner Andrew Crisp told a media briefing. "It is great to have some respite now so we can reset and refocus in terms of our operational activities and what we can do to support community, but we will have more hot weather." Across NSW, nearly 150 fires were still burning as of Saturday morning, more than 60 of which were not contained, but none were at emergency level. Some 2,000 homes have been destroyed so far in the fire-affected areas of the state. One NSW person suffered serious burns defending a property and was taken to a Sydney hospital on Friday night. One fire was still burning at emergency level in Victoria on Saturday from a total of about 20 fires burning in the state. [ Australian wildfire continues to rage on Friday night in New South Wales (Courtesy: Reuters) ] A number of fires burning in the Snowy Mountains region in NSW and across into Victoria have merged. The fires that combined have more than 600,000 hectares (1.5 million acres) of land in total. Although the merged fires are burning in a difficult area to get to, authorities said they do not pose an immediate threat. Thousands of Australians took to the streets on Friday to protest against government inaction on climate change, and were supported by protesters in London. Westpac estimated total bushfire losses to date at about A$5 billion (£2.64 billion) ($3.4 billion), higher than the 2009 bushfires in Victoria but smaller than the Queensland floods in 2010/11. It forecast a hit of 0.2 per cent to 0.5 per cent on gross domestic product. Australia's alpine resorts have dusted off winter snowmaking machines to blast ice-cold water onto dry ski slopes as fires threaten the Snowy Mountains region. The Insurance Council of Australia increased its estimate of damages claims from the fires to more than A$900 million, with claims expected to jump further. Health officials in New South Wales urged extra precautions to avoid heat-related illnesses. Australia's wildfires have dwarfed other recent catastrophic blazes, with its burnt terrain more than twice the extent of that ravaged by 2019 fires in Brazil, California and Indonesia combined. The $2 billion we've committed is in addition to the Government’s emergency and disaster payments, and the financial support for volunteer firefighters. People affected by the bushfires can claim disaster payments by calling 180 22 66. — Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) January 6, 2020 × Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pledged A$2 billion ($1.4 billion) to a newly created National Bushfire Recovery Agency. About 100 firefighters from the United States and Canada are helping, with another 140 expected in coming weeks. The fires have emitted 400 megatonnes of carbon dioxide and produced harmful pollutants, the European Union's Copernicus monitoring programme said. Smoke has drifted across the Pacific, affecting cities in South America, and may have reached the Antarctic, the UN's World Meteorological Organization said.

Australian bushfires: Firefighters get reprieve after tough night

Residents across a wide swath of Australia's east coast were bracing for "catastrophic" conditions on Tuesday, with searing heat and high winds expected to fan scores of already burning bushfires, threatening residential areas.

Residents across a wide swath of Australia's east coast were bracing for "catastrophic" conditions on Tuesday, with searing heat and high winds expected to fan scores of already burning bushfires, threatening residential areas. Millions of people across two states are subject to a seven-day state of emergency that was imposed by officials on Monday, with locals in areas deemed most at risk urged to evacuate before the worst hits. "We really need people to stay alert, stay informed, and stay safe and act in accordance with your plan and the advice that might be given out throughout the day," NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told reporters. Sydneysiders woke up to a city shrouded in smoke. Officials have rated the harbour city at "catastrophic fire danger" for Tuesday, the first time it has received that designation since new fire danger ratings were introduced in 2009. Home to more than 5 million people, Sydney is ringed by large areas of bushland, much of which remains tinder-dry following little rain across the country's east coast in recent months. Bushfires are a common and deadly threat in Australia’s hot, dry summers, but the current severe outbreak - across several parts of New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland states, as well as Sydney - weeks before the summer peak, has caught many by surprise. Lawmakers and firefighters in NSW, where temperatures were expected to reach 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) said they were prepared, but warned there was only so much they could do. "We are planned, we are escalated to a high level of standby and readiness," Fitzsimmons said. There were 54 fires ablaze across the state, around half of which were uncontained, Fitzsimmons said, adding around 3,000 firefighters were deployed or on standby. "We are not going to control fires under catastrophic conditions," he said. "They have the ability to develop and grow extremely quickly and develop into very large fires." Seeking to avoid deaths, firefighters have been given broad powers to control government resources, force evacuations, close roads and shut down utilities. Around 600 schools and colleges were closed as a precaution and authorities advised anyone suffering respiratory conditions to stay indoors. In Queensland state, the danger was not quite as great, with the threat level pegged at "severe", two levels below the "catastrophic" conditions in NSW. Still, some 22 fires were burning across the northern state.

'Stay alert': millions of Australians brace for 'catastrophic' bushfires

Two people have been found dead, seven are missing and at least 100 homes have been destroyed as bushfires rage across eastern Australia, authorities said on Saturday.

The New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) confirmed two people had been killed by a fire near Glen Innes, more than 550 km (340 miles) north of Sydney.

One body was discovered in a vehicle and a woman died after being found suffering from burns on Friday.

NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian told journalists on Saturday that a further seven people were unaccounted for across the state.

"I'm sorry to say that number can increase during the day," Berejiklian said.

This is one of Australia's worst bushfire seasons and parts of the country are crippled by severe drought.

NSW RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said little reprieve in fire conditions could be expected over the next week or throughout the summer months of December, January and February.

"The forecast for the balance of the season continues to be driven by above-normal temperatures (and) below-average rainfall to dominate over the coming months," Fitzsimmons said.

On Friday, state fire authorities issued a record number of emergency warnings, with 17 fires declared to be at an emergency level with high winds and dry-conditions fanning the flames.

More than 70 fires were burning across the state on Saturday morning, with an emergency warning on two of them.

Further north, in Queensland, thousands of residents near the resort town of Noosa, on the Sunshine Coast, spent the night in evacuation centres.

Queensland premier Anastasia Paluszek said authorities were still accessing if it was safe for nearly 2,000 people to return home.

"These fires can change very quickly, it is very dry at the moment and the winds will pick up this afternoon," Paluszek told reporters.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison Tweeted said on Twitter the fires were "simply terrifying" and the government would support people.

Two people have been found dead, seven are missing and at least 100 homes have been destroyed as bushfires rage across eastern Australia, authorities said on Saturday.

Two people have been found dead, seven are missing and at least 100 homes have been destroyed as bushfires rage across eastern Australia, authorities said on Saturday. The New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) confirmed two people had been killed by a fire near Glen Innes, more than 550 km (340 miles) north of Sydney. One body was discovered in a vehicle and a woman died after being found suffering from burns on Friday. NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian told journalists on Saturday that a further seven people were unaccounted for across the state. "I'm sorry to say that number can increase during the day," Berejiklian said. This is one of Australia's worst bushfire seasons and parts of the country are crippled by severe drought. NSW RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said little reprieve in fire conditions could be expected over the next week or throughout the summer months of December, January and February. "The forecast for the balance of the season continues to be driven by above-normal temperatures (and) below-average rainfall to dominate over the coming months," Fitzsimmons said. On Friday, state fire authorities issued a record number of emergency warnings, with 17 fires declared to be at an emergency level with high winds and dry-conditions fanning the flames. More than 70 fires were burning across the state on Saturday morning, with an emergency warning on two of them. Further north, in Queensland, thousands of residents near the resort town of Noosa, on the Sunshine Coast, spent the night in evacuation centres. Queensland premier Anastasia Paluszek said authorities were still accessing if it was safe for nearly 2,000 people to return home. "These fires can change very quickly, it is very dry at the moment and the winds will pick up this afternoon," Paluszek told reporters. Prime Minister Scott Morrison Tweeted said on Twitter the fires were "simply terrifying" and the government would support people.

Two people found dead and 100 homes destroyed in Australian bushfires