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In Pictures: Wildfires rage in Australia

Parts of New South Wales were placed on high alert on Tuesday after the risk of wildfires was classed as ‘catastrophic’.

Sydney heatwave
People swim and cool down in the Pacific at Bondi Beach, Sydney. The temperature reached 42 Celsius on Tuesday afternoon.
Published On 8 Jan 2013
Fire risk increases
As the Sydneysiders cool off, authorities warned New South Wales state faced one of the highest-risk fire days in its history.
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New South Wales bushfires
New South Wales has a total fire ban with some regions placed under (***)catastrophic(***) fire conditions. Despite the precautions, many places were still scorched, including this in Oura, near Wagga Wagga.
Tinder-dry Tasmania
Boomer Bay in Tasmania has been razed to the ground. Bushfires swept across the island state leaving around 100 people unaccounted for and several feared dead.
Boomer Bay destruction
This photo gives an indication of just how hot the wild blaze must have been. At one point, 25 people had to run onto the jetty to escape the flames.
Southeast of the island has been worst hit
Dunalley in southeastern Tasmania has been cut off from both the city of Hobart and the Tasman Peninsula since the blaze ripped through on Friday.
Utter devastation
The wild fires destroyed all in its path. This primary school has been totally gutted as the flames were fanned by hot, dry and very dangerous northwesterly winds.
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No blade left unscorched
In places, the fires burnt right up to the water(***)s edge. Many fires are still blazing in Tasmania, which have already destroyed more than 20,000 hectares of bushland.
The ashes
After the flames have been extinguished, there(***)s an eerie beauty to what(***)s been left behind.
Fire swept across the hills.
At least five major fires are still burning out of control across Tasmania, including blazes on the Tasman Peninsula and in the Derwent Valley. Firefighters battled winds with gusts of 70kph.
Trees blackened
Hobart is expected to reach a maximum of around 16C on Wednesday, after a historic high of 42C last Friday. Winds could still gust up to 45kph, but even that will be some improvement.
Smouldering hay bales near Sorrell
The worst does appear to be over for now, and rain is forecast across Tasmania on Wednesday which should help to extinguish the flames.
Catastrophic!
There should also be some improvement across New South Wales on Wednesday as well. Temperatures are expected to be nearer 25C with a chance of light rain.