The Australian navy has begun evacuating around 1,000 people stranded on the east coast.
Searing weather fronts are whipping up more blazes across Victoria and New South Wales.
At the peak of the summer holiday period, tens of thousands of holidaymakers are facing the fire.
Most have been urged to leave before the temperatures return to above 104 F with hot winds.
Reuters reports two people have died in Victoria’s fires, and 28 others are unaccounted for.
