Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption An Australian town's residents flee via the beach as a bushfire sweeps in

More than 70 homes and buildings are feared to have been destroyed in a bushfire in Australia, authorities say.

The fast-moving fire engulfed the New South Wales (NSW) coastal town of Tathra late on Sunday local time.

Authorities said locals were evacuated to a nearby town and there were no reports of anyone missing.

Earlier, separate blazes in Victoria destroyed up to 18 properties. Authorities described the bushfires as the worst of Australia's summer season.

In Tathra, about 450km (280 miles) south of Sydney, four people were treated for smoke inhalation and one firefighter was injured, authorities said.

Many residents left the town by walking along the beach on Sunday as temperatures reached up to 38C (101F).

"The smoke was thick and black. You could see the rescue helicopter with the water and you know it was all so real," one local, Simone Ward, told the BBC.

She said that most people had left with only a few belongings. The town has about 1,600 residents.

Image copyright SIMONE WARD Image caption Tathra residents walk along a beach to seek shelter in a neighbouring town

Image copyright SIMONE WARD Image caption The bushfire in Tathra, New South Wales, following hot and windy conditions

The fire had not been contained after burning through more than 1,000 hectares, the NSW Rural Fire Service said on Monday.

"This fire ran more than 7km (four miles) before it impacted on those properties so there is a huge fire perimeter for us to contain," deputy commissioner Rob Rodgers told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

He said weather conditions on Monday would make it easier to battle the fire.

The bushfires in Victoria destroyed up to 18 properties and killed livestock in rural areas north of the town of Warrnambool, authorities said.

The fires affected at least 40,000 hectares and were probably sparked by lightning on Saturday, according to officials.

In September, Australians were warned to prepare for a dangerous bushfire season after one of the driest winters on record.</s>Residents of Tathra in New South Wales had to flee via the beach after a bushfire swept through their town.</s>Baku. 4 January. REPORT.AZ/ A total of 12 homes have been destroyed by the bushfire in South Australia, with concerns that 20 others could be damaged, Premier Jay Weatherill confirmed Sunday.

"We will be reopening areas once it's safe to do so, however there remains serious risks associated with falling trees and falling power lines," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Weatherill as saying.

Weatherill added that the "conditions for firefighting have improved."

Report informs referring to the foreign media, according to the newspaper, 22 members of the Country Fire Service were injured and one fire truck was destroyed during the operation on containing the blaze. Firefighters continue emergency works in the area.

Local police wanted the residents to return to their homes on Sunday morning, but preferred not to rush, as some communities are still under the risk.

"When people turn up to our control points, we'd ask them to have a little bit of patience," Police Commissioner Gary Burns was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

More than 400 firemen, 80 trucks and 14 aircraft are involved in fighting the blaze. Those affected by fire are offered $700 grants.</s>Some of the more than 70 houses and businesses destroyed by a bushfire in the coastal town of Tathra, New South Wales, Australia

Almost 100 homes and buildings have been damaged or destroyed in the picturesque seaside village after a fire tore through the area.

A combination of soaring temperatures and strong winds have been blamed for fuelling massive grass and bushfires, reducing dozens of houses to ash and killing cattle.

Residents fled to the beach to avoid the flames as flying embers quickly carried the fire front forward.

No deaths or serious injuries have been reported but the bushfires have caused extensive damage in rural areas of Victoria and New South Wales.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said: “At this stage (there have been) no lives lost.”

Bushfires are a common and deadly threat in Australia’s hot, dry summers, fuelled by highly flammable eucalyptus trees.

The 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria killed 173 people and injured more than 400.

Rural Fire Service and New South Wales Fire and Rescue continue to mop up and douse smouldering homes after a devastating fire ripped through the community.</s>A fast-moving bushfire in southeastern Australia has engulfed an estimated 70 homes and buildings, with firefighters still working Monday to contain the blaze.

The fire has plowed through more than 2,400 acres in New South Wales, reaching Tathra, a small coastal town about six hours from Sydney, on Sunday, the BBC reports. The 1,600 residents were evacuated and four people were reportedly treated for smoke inhalation. Authorities have said one firefighter was injured.

Photos showed some locals fleeing the fire walking along the shoreline on Sunday, carrying their belongings to a neighboring town against a blazing orange backdrop.

“The smoke was thick and black. You could see the rescue helicopter with the water and you know it was all so real,” local resident Simone Ward told the BBC.

Separate bushfires raging in the neighboring state of Victoria have reportedly destroyed 18 properties, killed livestock and burned more than 98,000 acres. The blazes may have been sparked by lightning on Saturday, officials said.

According to local authorities, the ongoing bushfires are the worst seen this season.</s>Tathra on the New South Wales far south coast has been left devastated after a fast-moving bushfire ripped through dozens of homes and businesses. It is feared up to 70 properties, including a popular caravan park, were destroyed in the blaze that broke out on Sunday. The fire, fanned by very strong winds and high temperatures in the state’s east, burned through several kilometres of bushland and crossed a river before it reached the picturesque township</s>Residents got their first look Tuesday at the devastation wrought by a bushfire that ravaged a town in Australia, but fears over asbestos and unstable structures mean even those with houses still standing cannot move back.

Sixty-nine homes were incinerated in Tathra on the south coast of New South Wales, and another 39 damaged, after a blaze fanned by gusty winds and hot, dry conditions swept through the picturesque seaside village on Sunday and Monday.

Another 30 caravans or cabins were also lost in the fire, which left scenes of burned-out cars, blackened trees and property reduced to rubble.

While some locals were able to return on a bus tour and see what was left, safety concerns over asbestos, fallen power lines, unstable structures and other hazards mean they must wait until at least Wednesday before being able to pick up the pieces.

"It's well known that asbestos dust, which arises after asbestos is burned, is very mobile and can get into the atmosphere," recovery coordinator Euan Ferguson told reporters, with testing under way to determine it was safe.

"It can get into the lungs and cause fatal diseases."

Asbestos cement or sheeting, a cheap and durable material, was widely used in the Australian building industry after World War II until the 1980s.

Hundreds of evacuated residents spent Monday night at a recovery centre at nearby Bega, under the care of charities and volunteers, as firefighters continued to tackle parts of the blaze.

"Overnight, crews have made good progress on the southern side of the fire, with containment on most of this part of the fire," the NSW Rural Fire Service said of the blaze that has burned out more than 1,000 hectares.

"Crews are continuing to focus on the northern side of the fire."

While the threat to homes had eased, authorities warned that "this may change quickly", depending on the weather. At least five schools remained closed.

"I totally feel for what they must be going through. They must just be in total limbo," a Tathra local identified only as John, whose house survived, told broadcaster ABC of his fellow residents.

But he said the town would "stick together and we'll rebuild and look after one another as we always have".

Some 40,000 hectares (100,000 acres) were also scorched in southwestern regions of neighbouring Victoria state as dozens of blazes swept through over the weekend, wiping out beef and dairy cattle.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the "unprecedented" force of the fires claimed at least 18 homes.

Despite the damage, authorities said there were no reports of serious injuries or deaths.

Experts said the infernos showed the bushfire season -- which usually occurs in the summer months of December-February -- was lengthening as climate change disrupts weather patterns.</s>More than 70 homes and buildings are feared to have been destroyed in a bushfire in Australia, authorities say.

The fast-moving fire engulfed the New South Wales (NSW) coastal town of Tathra late on Sunday local time.

Authorities said locals were evacuated to a nearby town and there were no reports of anyone missing.

Earlier, separate blazes in Victoria destroyed up to 18 properties. Authorities described the bushfires as the worst of the season.

In Tathra, four people were treated for smoke inhalation and one firefighter was injured as temperatures reached up to 38C (101F) on Sunday.

The fire had not been contained after burning through more than 1,000 hectares, the NSW Rural Fire Service said on Monday.

"This fire ran more than 7km (four miles) before it impacted on those properties so there is a huge fire perimeter for us to contain," deputy commissioner Rob Rodgers told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

He said weather conditions on Monday would make it easy to battle the fire.

The bushfires in Victoria destroyed up to 18 properties and killed livestock in rural areas north of the town of Warrnambool, authorities said.

The Victorian fires affected at least 40,000 hectares and were probably sparked by lightning on Saturday, according to officials.</s>At least 70 buildings have been destroyed on the NSW far south coast, and the Rural Fire Service said that number could increase as firefighters continue to battle the bushfire.

RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers said early estimates from overnight suggest 70 buildings have been lost in Tathra, but fire crews would be going through in the morning to get a clearer picture.

"Whether that's homes or businesses, the reports we've had overnight are around 70 of those buildings [have been destroyed] which is obviously devastating for those families," he told the Today show.

Aerial footage of the town, just east of Bega, on Monday morning showed streets destroyed by fire and some homes still smoking after the blaze tore through the town.</s>A bushfire is burning uncontrolled in grass at Inman Valley, south of Adelaide.

The Country Fire Service has issued a watch and act message for locals warning the fire may threaten their safety.

It's burning in a southeasterly direction towards the Inman Valley, Nosworthy and Mayfield roads. with conditions continually changing.
A bushfire destroys dozens of buildings in Tathra, New South Wales, Australia.