Authorities in Australia‘s New South Wales ordered residents in parts of the state’s Central Coast to evacuate on Saturday as fast-moving wildfires burned through thousands of hectares amid extreme heat.
The emergency alert covered communities around Phegans Bay and Woy Woy, an area home to more than 350,000 people about 45 km (30 miles) north of Sydney. Fire officials warned that conditions were deteriorating rapidly due to a severe heatwave pushing temperatures as high as 42°C (108°F).
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS) said residents should “leave now if the path is clear towards Woy Woy,” urging immediate movement before fire fronts intensified. Local media, including the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, reported that as many as 16 homes had already been destroyed in the Central Coast region.
By late Saturday, more than 50 bushfires were burning across the state, authorities said. An additional blaze in the Upper Hunter region reached the highest emergency warning level after it consumed nearly 10,000 hectares (25,000 acres).
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged residents to take official instructions seriously. “Please look out for each other and follow advice from authorities,” he said in a statement.
The Bureau of Meteorology said the intense heatwave and dry winds created conditions ideal for rapid fire spread. Fire crews deployed across multiple fronts struggled to contain fast-moving flames driven by unstable weather patterns.
Emergency shelters and evacuation centers were opened across the Central Coast as local officials coordinated support for displaced households.
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State and federal authorities have repeatedly warned that Australia faces a high-risk bushfire season this summer after several relatively quiet years. Warmer temperatures, dry vegetation, and El Niño effects have heightened concerns across the country.
Australia is still haunted by the “Black Summer” bushfires of 2019-2020, which killed 33 people and burned an area roughly the size of Turkey, according to official figures. That catastrophe also destroyed thousands of homes and triggered global calls for climate resilience and land management reforms.
Firefighters expect challenging days ahead as temperatures remain elevated and winds remain unpredictable. Authorities said they will continue updating emergency advice throughout the weekend and urged residents in high-risk zones to monitor evacuation alerts closely.