Australia battles 'catastrophic' wildfires as PM rushes home

A large bushfire burns near houses in Bargo, southwest of Sydney on Saturday (Dec 21). A scorching heatwave intensified bushfires ravaging parts of Australia and out-of-control blazes surrounding Sydney worsened under "catastrophic" conditions. - AFP

PERTH: Australia’s most populous state was paralysed by "catastrophic” fire conditions on Saturday (Dec 21) amid soaring temperatures, while one person died as wildfires ravaged the country’s southeast, officials said.

"Catastrophic fire conditions are as bad as it gets,” New South Wales Rural Fire Services Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told reporters. "Given we have a landscape with so much active fire burning, you have a recipe for very serious concern and a very dangerous day.”