The South Coast is bracing for another torrid round of fires on Friday and Saturday as the mercury rises.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Emergency services have been doorknocking residents in the likely line of fire, warning them to leave by Friday morning, January 31, at the latest if unprepared to defend.
Queensland Fire and Rescue firefighter Jason Cambieras is one of many who have headed to the coast from NSW, interstate and overseas.
The communications officer has spent this week helping at Rural Fire Service headquarters in Moruya.
He warned residents they needed to be well prepared to even consider remaining to defend their homes.
"Your property needs to be heavily prepared at this moment," he said.
"The fires are running through the dry areas very quickly and uncontrollably. Stay vigilant and if you do not feel safe, get out early - by Friday morning at the latest - rather than at the last minute.
"We are prepared for the worst. Hopefully it is not the worst and everyone goes home happy."
He warned the danger was forecast to peak on Friday and Saturday and crews had spent the week trying to get in front.
"The crews are out there working tirelessly to get areas back burned and safely blackened out to lessen the threats to towns, to stop the fire from spotting forward from the fire line," he said.
Firefighter Cambieras said morale was good in the Moruya headquarters, where firefighters from Tasmania, Canada and the US were relieving crews who have been in action since late November.
"It just reinforces the people who are already here and gives them a rest day so they can get straight back into it," he said.
By January 7 about 380 homes had been lost but more were destroyed on Thursday, January 23. A final tally is unknown.