CANBERRA, Australia (dpa) - At least three people have died and more than 150 homes destroyed as an "unprecedented" bushfire emergency continued to devastate vast areas of Australia's east, authorities said on Saturday.
Firefighters located the remains of one man in a burnt out vehicle near Glen Innes, some 550 kilometres north of Sydney, New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS) Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said.
A woman was rescued by firefighters in the same blaze in an unrelated incident but later died in hospital, Fitzsimmons said, adding that at least seven people remained unaccounted for and that the number of missing and dead could rise.
A third person was confirmed dead on Saturday night after their body was discovered in a burnt-out home in the town of Johns River on the NSW coast, where fires raged in the afternoon.
Some three dozen people, including 19 firefighters, were injured in the bushfires, the RFS said.
On Saturday evening there were 87 bushfires still burning in the state, including 16 out-of-control ones and two at emergency warning level, the fire service said.
At the peak of the crisis on Friday night a record 17 emergency level blazes were being fought by more than 1,000 firefighters, in what the RFS called "uncharted territory."
Fitzsimmons said at least 150 homes had been destroyed and the number was expected to rise as firefighters had not been unable to access some fire grounds to assess the damage.
The local jail at Glen Innes, which saw two fatalities, was forced to evacuate 164 inmates on Saturday morning due to bushfire risk to the prison, Grafton Corrective Services said.
The bushfires, which have already burned hundreds of thousands of hectares, were whipped up by gusty winds and temperatures over 35 degrees Celsius.
Bobin, a small town 330 kilometres north of Sydney, has been "destroyed," according to locals who have shared photos on social media of burned out homes and school.
Roads have been closed in many areas, including parts of the Pacific Highway in eastern Australia, due to multiple bushfires.
In some areas, the bushfires have become so intense that they have created weather systems, including a lightning storm.
The Insurance Council of Australia has declared the bushfire crisis a "catastrophe," which means claims by victims will be prioritised.
In Queensland, north of New South Wales, there were 50 out-of-control bushfires, including two at emergency level, according to Queensland Fire and Emergency Service (QFES).
More than 9,000 people in Noosa were evacuated late Friday and were sheltered at local showgrounds, sporting facilities and churches.
Many will spend the Saturday night outside their homes as well.
At least one home has been lost and one firefighter injured in Queensland, according to QFES, but the figures were likely to rise.
The Queensland government has declared state of fire emergency across 42 local government areas, which prohibits outdoor fires as well as welding, grinding, or heating outdoors.
"We're experiencing tinder box-like conditions across much of the state and all it takes is one spark to start a fire that may burn for days," said Mike Wassing, QFES acting commissioner.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Saturday the fires burning in NSW and Queensland "are simply terrifying."
"To those Australians who have lost everything, we are devastated at your loss & we'll be there to support & rebuild. To all those in affected areas stay safe & please listen to & follow emergency services instructions," he said on Twitter.
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