Officials say more than 130 fires, many uncontained, are burning in the heavily populated New South Wales state, where temperatures reached 45 degrees and wind gusts reached more than 100 kilometers per hour.

In the southern island of Tasmania, rescue officials are still trying to locate around 100 residents who have been missing after a fire tore through a village, destroying dozens of homes.

No deaths have been reported, but officials warn Tuesday conditions have reached a "catastrophic" level, meaning fires will be uncontrollable and fast-moving, with evacuation the only safe option.