Army reservists called out to assist with the bushfire crisis will have the grisly task of burying tens of thousands of dead and dying animals in mass graves to stop the spread of disease.

Reservists and regular soldiers are also helping to clear roads in NSW and Victoria of debris, prepare firebreaks, contact remote villages cut off by the fire and conduct reconnaissance to assess damage, as well as continue to evacuate the beachside town of Mallacoota.