A bushfire burns behind a cross at Possum Brush, south of Taree. Picture: AAP

Residents defend a property from a bushfire at Hillville, near Taree. Picture: AFP

A bushfire at New Italy is seen from the air by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter. Picture: Supplied

Firefighters come to the rescue of some four-legged friends. Picture: Matrix

A firefighter surveys a bushfire at Hillville. Picture: AFP

Residents pose for photographs at South Turramurra after fire retardant was dropped on homes yesterday. Picture: Getty Images

Pink fire retardant covers parts of South Turramurra. Picture: Getty Images

A car sprayed with fire retardant is seen in South Turramurra. Picture: AFP

Firefighters use pool water to help save a house on Bullocky Way, Possum Brush, south of Taree. Picture: AAP

A vehicle burns in the yard of a house on Bullocky Way, Possum Brush, south of Taree. Picture: AAP

A bushfire burns outside a property near Taree. Picture: AFP

A fire truck is almost hit by flames at Nana Glen, near Coffs Harbour. Picture: AAP

A NSW Rural Fire Service plane drops fire retardent on an out-of-control bushfire near Taree. Picture: AFP

Sharnie Moren and her daughter Charlotte look on as thick smoke rises from bushfires at Nana Glen, near Coffs Harbour. Picture: AAP

A spotter helicopter flies through thick bushfire smoke at Nana Glen. Picture: AAP

A peacock flies over the burnt-out wreckage of a house lost to a bushfire on NSW’s mid-north coast. Picture: AAP

Locals watch as bushfires approach at Nana Glen. Picture: AFP

Smoke from a large bushfire is seen outside Nana Glen. Picture: AAP

An firefighter injured at South Turramurra is assisted by ambulance officers. Picture: John Grainger

Jamie Fato fights a blaze on a property at Koorainghat, near Taree. Picture: AAP

A bushfire burns outside a property near Taree. Picture: AFP

A helicopter drops water on a property atNana Glen, near Coffs Harbour. Picture: AFP

Taree resident Owen Whalan, who was comforted by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday, was forced to again evacuate his home just hours after returning this morning. Picture: AAP

Ava Dixon looks out at a fire front approaching her house near Port Macquarie. Picture: Robert Dixon.

Deputy captain Greg Pryor and his crew are in their third straight month fighting fires on NSW's north coast. Picture: Eliza Barr

Smoke haze hangs over Sydney Harbour as the city wakes to warnings of catastrophic and unprecedented conditions. Picture: Bill Hearne

A satellite image from NASA shows bushfire smoke spreading across NSW and into the Tasman Sea. Picture: NASA

Smoke covers the hills near Muswellbrook in NSW’s Hunter Valley. Picture: Getty Images

A ferry sails past the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge as winds blow smoke over the CBD in Sydney. Picture: AAP/Steven Saphore

Smoke covers Bondi Beach in Sydney this morning. Picture: Getty Images

High temperatures, high winds and dry air are forecast to combine creating catastrophic bushfire conditions, contributing to more than 100 bushfires already burning in NSW and Queensland. Picture: AAP/Dave Hunt

A smokey sunrise at Sydney’s Mona Vale beach. Picture: John Grainger

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 12: A NSW RFS helicopter drops water during mopping up operations at South Turramurra on November 12, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. More than 60 fires are burning across NSW with 200 homes and sheds destroyed and three people confirmed dead. Catastrophic fire danger - the highest possible level of bushfire danger - has been forecast for the greater Sydney, Illawarra and Hunter areas which includes the Blue Mountains and the Central Coast. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian declared a state of emergency on Monday, giving giving emergency powers to Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons and prohibiting fires across the state. (Photo by Sam Mooy/Getty Images)